


Martyr

by realxeyez



Category: Persona 3, Persona 5
Genre: F/F, F/M, follows royal slightly but i tweak alot of things, reader is an arisato, royal spoilers in later chapters but they're tagged, takuto is aged down to 18/19 and is a first year uni student
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-20
Updated: 2020-12-17
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:41:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 18
Words: 57,404
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24816262
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/realxeyez/pseuds/realxeyez
Summary: In which the youngest Arisato unwittingly finds herself involved with the Phantom Thieves of Hearts and somehow ends up becoming the saviour of the world.Sacrifice seems to run in the family at this point.
Relationships: Akechi Goro/Reader, Amamiya Ren (Persona Series)/Reader, Kitagawa Yusuke/Reader, Kurusu Akira/Reader, Maruki Takuto/Reader, Okumura Haru/Reader, Sakamoto Ryuji/Reader, Takamaki Ann/Reader, Yoshizawa Kasumi/Reader
Comments: 56
Kudos: 300





	1. roll the dice

**Author's Note:**

> crossposted on quotev so this isn't me stealing anything <3
> 
> anyways figured it was finally time to upload some of this onto ao3 so enjoy i suppose

There are many things Joker never thought he would do. Never thought he’d live in some dusty attic, or meet some talking cat or fall head over heels for the most infuriating girl he’s ever met.

He especially never thought he would be zigzagging through the lighting fixtures of a casino, running away from the police while trying not to fuck everything up. It’s one of those things that come out of nowhere but you just have to deal with it; like the time he and-

He stumbles and he’s quickly greeted with the sound of static and a boyish voice hissing at him. 

“Joker, concentrate! There’s no room for mistakes!”

Quickly regaining his balance, he continues on. He can’t be dwelling on old memories at a time like this, not when everything is riding on him pulling this off _perfectly_. It’s daunting but who is better suited to pull off a heist than the leader of the famous phantom thieves himself? His teammates are strong but none of them have the same flair for dramatics that he does. 

Plus, it means that he doesn’t have to worry about any of them getting in trouble. The last thing he wants is one of them getting cocky and trying to to show him up- or worse yet, try to take his place in the heist. None of them, maybe bar Skull, are that stupid to even try but there's a nagging voice in his head that tells him that like he’d do anything for his teammates, they’d do the same for him in return. 

“Oracle, how’s it looking?” Skull’s voice rings in his ear, the syllables sounding stressed. Joker can picture how stressed he probably is- despite being on the team from the very start, he’s quick to worry. 

Joker quickly leaps to a lower platform as Oracle starts clacking away on her keyboard, practically in all their ears. Thankfully, he doesn’t stumble again but lets out a quiet swear as he continues on. 

“Joker’s got some officers he can’t avoid up ahead- two of them but he’ll take ‘em out easy!” Oracle snickers into her ‘radio’, evidently proud of their leader’s power. He can’t help but chuckle despite the oncoming fight.

She continues on, “Otherwise, we all look good. Plague and Crow have three officers on their right but they’re easily avoidable- most of them are too focused on finding Joker.”

Plague swear under her breath and Crow’s chuckles, amused. “Evidently not focused enough.” She grumbles and the radios barely catch Crow’s reassurances of their strength. Joker can’t help the frown that comes as he listens to the two, and ignores Oracle’s amused giggles in his ears. 

“Please, stay safe!” Noir’s pleading voice crackles in and all the thieves chime in with various “of course”s and “see you soon”s. Joker stays silent. 

He wants to come back from this. He wants to be able to tell his fellow thieves and friends that he’ll meet them on the other side, safe and sound, but it’s a _lie_. He doesn’t know how this is going to play out- doesn’t know if he’s gonna come out unscathed. But it’s worth it, isn’t it? The treasure is secured and his friends are safe; it’s all he needs. 

“Right- the enemies are right in front of you! Be ready!”

Jumping down onto the balcony, Joker readies his blades. Despite their earlier fight, he still feels invigorated. Maybe it’s the adrenaline or the fact that he’s so, so close to pulling this thing off, but he’s thankful for it. Better than having to quickly chug soda and whatever leftover medicine he had in his pockets. That sounds kind of shady, honestly. 

He watches amused as the two officers morph into shadows- complete with easily rippable masks. Jackpot. 

Leaping into the air, he maneuvers himself onto the back of one of the shadows and grips the blue mask, ripping back his arm and grinning when the shadow starts bubbling. He jumps back before it explodes. transforming for a second time into some creepy looking mechanical bull-creature. 

Joker lands on his feet, smirking beneath his mask. It’s probably unhealthy that he loves this rush of fights so much but it comes with the gig. At the very least, he’s glad this shadow doesn’t seem too strong. 

He grips the sides of his own mask, barely wincing as he pulls his hand back and rips off the mask, leaving only blood in its wake. 

“Arsene!” He calls, dramatically pointing at the shadow before him. He feels the ever looming presence of his Persona at his back, punctuated by the rush of power that goes through him as Arsene releases a wave of shadows at the enemy. The shadow falls almost instantly, ending the battle. 

“Hey- more of them? Be careful!”  
He turns around just in time to spot a shadow coming at him with an electric baton, which he promptly dodges and backflips up onto one of the platforms behind him- one that leads to the higher level. 

Oracle calls out to him again, pointing him in the direction of an emergency exit door. Without her, he’d probably be lost by now. 

He manages to navigate through the backrooms of the casino, letting the chatter of his teammates wash over him. He thinks being split up has taken a toll on them considering they’re all used to working as one big team. Even while Oracle is ever present in his radio, it still feels like he’s going at this alone and the thought is terrifying. He knows better of course but he can’t help but feel alone. 

A few minutes later he’s peering over a balcony, wondering what the fuck his life has come to. The casino is still crowded and Oracle’s navigation must’ve been off because there's not a single exit in sight.

He catches on just as Oracle crackles into his ear again. “Something wrong? The exit should be up ahead.”

Joker doesn’t reply and he hears Oracle sighing, before the clacking starts up again. “Joker...after that commotion, the bottom floor is completely closed off. Do you understand what i’m getting at here?”

He nods, knowing she can see him and leaps up onto the banister, narrowly avoiding the group of officers that have finally caught up with him. He’s honestly a little peeved that they’re shooting at him. 

Joker takes a second to peer down at the casino hall once he’s made his way to the stained glass window, half scared and half amused. He supposes this is it- he just has to take the chance.

“See ya!”

And with that, he crashes through the stained glass window and lands square on his feet. He can faintly hear Oracle and Mona scolding him for showing off but he’s blinded by a sea of bright lights before he can even think of answering. 

Oracle seems to scramble for an answer while the rest of his team voice their surprise and concern for his safety. He didn’t expect to leave without a fight but this is an entire police force waiting for him in the goddamn Metaverse. He can’t even try to think the whole thing through before he tries to escape, sprinting to a nearby ladder. Maybe he can try a different way, on a different side of the building-  
He’s greeted with a rifle butt to the face and cold concrete against his battered body. The steel-toed boot to the side doesn’t help either but in terms of police brutality, this is nothing. 

“Didn’t expect to find some kid.” The owner of the boot says, digging the tip into his ribs. “You have your teammate to thank for this. You were sold out.”

Joker passes out before he can even think of a reply.


	2. train spotting

The first time the name Arisato pops up, Ren thinks nothing of it. In his experience, the students of Shujin Academy will gossip about anyone and anything; he’s just glad some people have finally moved on from the ‘criminal transfer student’. 

He’s happy enough to leave it at that- the less attention on him and his motley crew of phantom thieves, the better. Some kid from his class (Mishima, he thinks it is) had already guessed that they were the ones who changed Kamoshida’s heart, so they needed to be careful. 

Except that it isn’t the last time he hears about Arisato. 

They’re a hot topic, apparently. The girls in his class gossip about a bitchy upperclassmen, while the boys laugh to each other about how weird they are. It feels oddly cliche, like his classmates are background characters in some trashy teen romance book whose only purpose is to highlight how quirky and misunderstood the lead is. 

(Maybe he should stop reading Witch Detective- it’s giving him some sort of brain rot.)

It’s apparently enough to get him interested. He’s already befriended two of Shujin’s most decisive students, it wouldn’t hurt to at least see why everyone is gossiping about them. Shujin has been wrong about him, Ryuji and Ann, so maybe this Arisato person is just some quiet upperclassmen who wants to be left alone?

He tells Morgana this as he’s getting ready to sleep one night (early, as Morgana tends to make him) and the cat shakes his head almost fondly, settling in on his bed.

“I was wondering when you were gonna bring this up. You’re not very subtle, y’know.” He meows, peering up at Ren with beady blue eyes. Ren just shrugs off his uniform blazer, trying not to look too annoyed. 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” He grumbles, flinging his turtleneck off to the side. Sure, he might’ve been listening a little too closely to his gossiping classmates recently but why shouldn’t he? He needs to make sure that nobody is catching onto them.

Morgana looks away while Ren starts to change into his sleeping clothes, licking at his paws. “I may not have known you for very long but I feel like you aren’t one to care about gossip. So this Arisato person must really interest you.”

The worst part is that Morgana is right, and he hates how cliche the whole thing is. He shouldn’t care about some random gossip, not really, but there’s an odd familiarity to the name. He can feel Arsene press against the forefront of his subconscious mind, like he’s reaching out.

(It’s weird and he feels like it’s got something to do with the strange blue room he visits at night.)

“I’m not saying you shouldn’t look into them, though...Who knows, maybe they’ll be useful to us.”

Ren shrugs, sliding beneath the covers. “..I’ll bring it up during tomorrow’s meeting.” He states, squinting as Morgana settles atop his chest, curling into a ball. He falls asleep the second his head hits the pillow. 

* * *

“You talkin’ about Arisato-senpai?” Ryuji asks plainly when Ren brings up the subject.. He’s leaning back in one of the numerous chairs spread across the rooftop, one leg resting on the table in front of him. Ren always swears that he’s gonna fall at some point, but it never happens. 

The upper floors are relatively empty after school hours and there’s the added bonus of the rooftop entrance being situated in the classroom buildings rather than the practice building, but Morgana shushes Ryuji anyways, glaring at him with beady blue eyes. 

“Not so loud, idiot!” Ann runs her hand through his fur, trying to calm him down. Morgana gives Ryuji another glare, but settles back into Ann’s lap. It’s best to keep on the wary side- Niijima had already lectured them about being up here.

“You know them?” Ren queries, leaning forward in his chair. Ryuji just grins at him, rocking his chair slightly. He shouldn’t really be surprised that Ryuji is more knowledgeable about Shujin and he knows better than to judge a book by its cover. 

Ann cuts in, scratching behind Morgana’s ears. “She’s that quiet upperclassman, right? The one who never takes off her headphones.”

Ryuji shoots her an annoyed look and turns back to Ren. “S’like what Ann said, she’s just some chick that people like to gossip about. No different than you or me or Ann.” He explains, frowning to himself as he remembers his first encounter with the third year. “Lemme guess, you feel bad for her?”

Shrugging, Ren lets his body untense. He’s been on guard all day, spending class mulling over all the possible outcomes of looking into Arisato. It’s a terrible habit of his and Morgana’s scolded him enough, but he’s a little glad to find that she doesn’t seem to be a terrible person.

“I’m just...curious.”

Ann hums thoughtfully, “Maybe you should try and befriend her? She always looks so lonely when I see her…” She taps her cheek, "Though, it doesn't look like it really bothers her." 

“Sounds like you’re collecting social outcasts, huh?” Morgana says to himself, yelping when Ann lightly whacks him. “Don’t say that! 

“We _are_ the ones talkin’ to a cat, after all.” Ryuji groans, running a hand through his hair. “I’m not against gettin’ to know her, but you better be on the lookout for new targets!”

Morgana rolls his eyes, “Always about targets with you...We can’t just go changing hearts willy nilly, not everybody has a palace.”

“You’re the one who told us about Mementos!”

Ann watches, annoyed, as the two begin to argue. It’s a common sight these days, even if it’s still kind of funny to see someone argue with a talking cat. She turns to Ren, smiling softly. 

“Seriously, you should talk to Arisato-senpai. I’m sure all she needs is a friend, right?”

Ren frowns slightly. “You don’t think it’s weird?” He asks quietly and Ann beams at him sweetly.  
  
“Of course not! When you reached out to me...I was really happy. Everyone acted like the rumours were true, that I was some trashy bimbo, but you looked past that. I’m sure Arisato-senpai will feel the same way too!” She grins, twirling her pigtails.  
  
“Lady Ann…” Morgana murmurs and when Ann realises everyone’s gone silent, she glares at them.  
  
“Hey, don’t look all surprised! Sometimes kindness can go a long way, alright?”

* * *

It’s been a whole week and Ren can’t find Arisato _anywhere_. He can’t really ask around, nor would his classmates actually bother to tell him anything. Apparently the new gossip is about some new attractive university student on work placement, so not even the gossip is worth listening to. Ann mentions that she’s usually on the roof during lunches but she’s suspiciously absent every time he checks. He even asks Mishima but he’s zero help, not that it’s much of a surprise. 

He’s almost desperate enough to start asking the upperclassmen but Niijima’s glare is enough to ward him off. She’s probably one of the scariest people he’s ever met, if he’s being honest. But it means that he has to put off his search for Arisato, especially considering they’ve gotten a new lead on this whole stealing hearts business. 

“Maaan,” Ryuji groans, stretching his arms as he trails down the stairs, “Arisato-senpai really has disappeared, huh? We’ve looked almost everywhere!”

“You’d think she’d be around here somewhere…” Ann mumbles to herself, clutching onto her bag as the three begin heading towards the station

While school had finished almost an hour ago, the three had stayed back for various reasons, with Ann and Ren looking around for Arisato and Ryuji having to speak with his homeroom teacher about his grades. 

But since school had ended for the week, that meant so did exams. Having to juggle studying and looking for Arisato was probably one of the hardest things Ren has done in a long time, and it resulted in absolutely nothing. It was pretty discouraging, but what else could he do? 

“Maybe we should let Senpai come to us?” Ryuji suggests and Ann hums thoughtfully, tapping her chin, 

“Yeah, maybe she’s trying to hide from us! I’d feel pretty weird if three underclassman kept asking about me.”

Morgana meows from within Ren’s bag, who quickly unzips it so the cat can stick his head out. “I _did_ say that you three should be careful about this whole thing. Curly hair over here said he had a good feeling about her, so I hope you didn’t ruin it!”

Stepping onto the escalator, Ryuji snickers. “‘Good feeling’, huh? What, do you have a crush on her or something?” He yelps when Ann smacks him, and Morgana glowers at him. 

“I haven’t even met her.” Ren sighs, adjusting his bag. He doesn’t have a proper explanation as to why Arisato seemed so interesting to him, he doesn’t know anything about her besides some sparse information, but it’s not like he has _something_ for her. 

“I wouldn’t put it past you, she _is_ pretty cute. It’s a wonder how you haven’t bumped into her before. She’s pretty noticeable.” 

“Lady Ann!” Morgana gasps, though he’s ignored. Ryuji just stares at Ann like she’s grown two heads.

Ann notices the looks and glares at the two of them, “Hey, don’t look at me like that! Girls can call each other cute!”

“Right.” Ryuji raises a brow at Ann’s flushed cheeks only to be smacked in the arm again. Ouch. 

“Lady Ann...and Arisato?” Morgana murmurs to himself, eyes sparkling and Ren shoves his head back into his bag, ignoring his yelps. Ann smiles gratefully at him, before it turns into a frown.

“Hey...does anybody else feel that?” She asks, eyes flickering around the station. Ryuji peers at her confused.

“Uh, no? You see a groper or something?”

She shakes her head, frowning to herself. “No, it’s probably nothing...Hey, that’s our train, right?”

Ren nods, “Yeah. You two still alright for coming over?”

The two blondes nod and they quietly board the train, Ann looking somewhat uncomfortable. As if noticing the atmosphere, Ren and Ryuji stay silent. If Ann’s this troubled about whatever she noticed, it’s probably best to not get her angry. 

The two boys exchange glances as they step off at Yongen-Jaya, watching as Ann begins to peer around nervously. There’s a rush to get to the escalator as always, but Ann seems somewhat frantic. 

“Oh my god, that guy got off!” She exclaims, clinging onto her bag. Ryuji frowns, rolling his shoulder back. 

“So there really was someone following you, huh…” He says, looking behind him. It’s good that it’s not a groper but still, if this dude is actually following Ann…

“Hey, come on.” Ryuji leans down to whisper in Ann’s ear as they get out of the station and begins to tug Ren away. 

A few moments later, Ann is left standing in front of Yongen-Jaya station, frowning to herself. “I can’t believe them...They seriously left me like this…?” She turns around just as a hand reaches out to her, but thankfully it’s intercepted by Ryuji and Ren, who step between the two.

“Hey, are you sure this is him?” Ryuji asks, looking between the two, “He looks pretty harmless.”

“Harmless people don’t follow random girls-” Ann starts, but the boy coughs his throat, as if to interrupt.

“Is there something you want?” He queries, looking at the three of them with thinly veiled annoyance. Ann almost jumps on him, pointing angrily at him.

“That’s my line! You were the one stalking me!” Ann accuses and the boy scoffs, almost like he’s been insulted. 

He takes a step back, “Stalking you…? That’s outrageous.”

Ryuji butts in, staring the boy down. “You were obviously followin’ her, dude. Just tell us why and maybe we won’t report ya.”

The blue haired boy sighs, returning Ryuji’s glare. “If I must. You three are students from Shujin Academy, correct?”

Ren raises a brow, “Yes?”

“My...muse also attends Shujin Academy. You see, she hasn’t made any moves to contact me in the last week, nor has she answered the door when I showed up for our arranged meeting.” He explains, crossing his arms. He looks a little concerned now, probably for his muse, but still irritated. 

“Dude, that explains nothing.” Ryuji groans, shifting his weight off his bad leg. “This ‘muse’ of yours is prolly ignorin’ ya ‘cuz you’re so creepy.”

The boy’s glare becomes piercing, and in an instant he’s in Ryuji’s face. “I would prefer it if you didn’t speak about (Y/N) that way. She is not so fickle that she would ignore me for no good reason.”

“Woah man, calm down!” Ryuji jumps back, evidently uncomfortable. There’s a three way stare down between him, the boy and Ren and it lasts until Ann starts mumbling to herself. 

“‘(Y/N)’...? That’s Arisato-senpai’s first name, isn’t it?”

The boy turns back to Ann, eyes shining. “You know (Y/N)? Please, could you let her know that I’ve been looking for her?”

Ann steps back, peering up at him. “Uh, sorry but you’re out of luck. We can’t find Arisato-senpai either.”

Frowning, he lets his shoulders droop. “That is...terrible news. But-” He digs around in his pockets for a few seconds, before tugging out a stack of paper tickets. 

“If you do happen to run into her, would you kindly give her this? They are tickets to my Sensei’s art exhibition. She has already agreed to come, of course, but just as a reminder.”

Ryuji interrupts the two, annoyed. “Uh, are we not gonna talk about how creepy this is? Who the ‘eff are you?”

“My apologies. My name is Yusuke Kitagawa, I’m a second year at Kosei High’s fine arts division.” Yusuke explains, brushing Ryuji aside, “I’m sure you’re aware of Madarame, yes? I’m his pupil, and I am being allowed residence at his place.”

Morgana mutters something about oversharing, but it’s muffled by Ren’s bag.

Ann gasps, “Huh? Do you mean _that_ Madarame? The one who was on “Good Morning Japan” the other day?”

Yusuke practically preens, nodding his head. Ryuji seems unimpressed. 

“Uh, who?” He asks dimly, and Ann spends a moment quietly explaining to him about the artist, while Yusuke and Ren stand around awkwardly. 

“You obviously have a sense for good art, so I suppose it wouldn’t hurt if you stopped by as well. The exhibition is in three days, on the public holiday.” Yusuke hands over the tickets to Ann, “As for you two...I bet you have no interest in the fine arts, but I’ll give you tickets too.”

“Yeah, thanks.” Ryuji mutters, shoving his hands into his pockets. Seriously, he doesn’t know what’s wrong with this Kitagawa kid. Stalking people just so he can ramble about his ‘muse’ and hand out tickets to some arts show? It’s seriously creepy. 

Plus, how’d someone like Arisato even put up with a guy like this? 

“I do hope you run into (Y/N) at some point, be sure to give her the ticket. I will see you soon, I assume?” Yusuke nods at Ann, ignoring Ren and Ryuji as he walks back into the station.

The trio are silent for a few moments, trying to comprehend what the fuck had just happened. 

“I feel like we gotta protect Senpai from this creep.” Ryuji breaks the silent, scuffing his shoes. Ren nods solemnly and Ann frowns at the two of them. 

“I dunno, he seems kinda harmless? Socially inept, but harmless.” She sighs, pocketing the tickets. “Let’s keep an eye out for Arisato-senpai, she might have some more information on Kitagawa-san and Madarame.”

Ryuji groans, “Sure, let’s humour the stalker.”

“Are you dumb?” Morgana hisses, poking his head out of Ren’s bag. “You remember what Nakanohara said, right? This might be the same Madarame he mentioned!” 

“Aww, forreal? So we gotta play along, huh…”

Ren nudges his friend, a small grin gracing his lips. “Aren’t you the one who wanted another target?” He asks, dodging Ryuji’s elbow. The blond just glowers at him as they head towards Leblanc. 

“Uh, not ones related to weirdo artist freaks!"

"Beggars can't be choosers!" Morgana taunts, and the trip back is spent watching Ryuji shout profanities at a cat.


	3. rooftop drama

“For the fifth time Maruki-senpai, you don’t need to keep thanking me.”

Smiling down at you, Takuto Maruki laughs brightly. “And for the fifth time, call me Takuto. I’m barely your senior, after all.”

The hallways are mostly silent as the two of you walk through Shujin, making your way towards the rooftop. Most students are either in their clubs or have left school grounds- probably still recouping from exams. The fact that the next day is a public holiday probably helps too.

“Maruki-senpai,” You stare at him with thinly veiled annoyance and he winces, “I’ve known you for a week. I’m not calling a teacher by their first name.”

“Teacher’s _assistant_ ,” Takuto corrects you, still smiling. Really, ‘Teacher’s assistant’ is a bit of a stretch. He’s here on university work placement- mostly unheard of for a first year student- for his psychology degree. Shujin’s original counsellor was fired due to misconduct after the Kamoshida incident, so he jumped at the offer of taking over while they tried to find a new one. He _was_ technically helping the nurses, but that's just semantics. 

“Whatever.” You roll your eyes, shoving your hands into your pockets. Quietly, the two of you walk up the stairs to the second floor. 

Takuto can’t take the silence- he’s naturally chatty for someone who’s supposed to sit and listen. “Have I thanked you enough for showing me around?”

“Yes.”

He laughs awkwardly, “You sure are blunt. You know, there’s a multitude of factors as to why people hide their emotions away-”

You fix him with a blank stare, brow raised. “Don’t try to read into me. Do you want to see the garden or not?”

It’s more of a statement than a question, but he nods anyways. “Has anything wilted? You _have_ been showing me around all week, after all.” He stops in front of the large metal doors of the rooftop, watching as you begin to dig through your pockets. 

Shrugging, you pull out a key and push it into the keyhole. “If anything has, it’s your faul-” you pause, peering at the door with furrowed brows. 

“Hm? What’s wrong?”

“The door is already unlocked...” You pocket the key, reaching up to tug at your bangs. “Whatever. Okumura probably forgot to lock it.”

He has zero clue who Okumura is, but he nods like he understands and watches as you open the metal rooftop doors. He catches sight of a few garden beds spaced around the roof, seasonal fruits and vegetables growing but honestly, he’s a little distracted by the three students staring at the two of you.

Nobody says anything for a few moments, either shocked or just not knowing what to say. From what Takuto’s heard, the rooftop tends to be locked after hours and only a few specific students have access. Mostly third years, but the three in front of them seem to be younger than the two of you. 

“A-Arisato-senpai?!” Ann exclaims, standing up. Ren and Ryuji make furious eye contact and Morgana meows angrily at the two

“...Yes?” You stare at her, eyebrows furrowed. You vaguely recognise the girl, but the other two are unfamiliar to you, and you’re not sure how a cat got on campus. Not to mention why the three (four?) of them are even up here after hours. You’re sure Niijima would’ve had a chat with them. 

“Oh, uh-” She pauses, mouthing something to her two friends that you don’t catch before smiling sheepishly at you. “We heard you usually hang around up here, but we didn’t think you’d show up.” She winces at her own terrible acting, curling one of her blonde pigtails. 

Takuto looks between the two groups, smiling as usual. You really don’t know how he can be so peppy all the time. “Do the four of you know each other?” He pauses for a second, looking at you, “Ah, a stupid question.”

You’re not really offended because he’s _right_ \- you don’t associate with many people and especially not underclassmen. He’s probably caught onto your lack of friends over this last week you’ve been showing him around especially considering he’s training to become a therapist. 

“Well.” You stare at the girl, somewhat unfazed, “I’m here. And I’d like it if you weren’t.”

Everyone winces. 

“Ouch.” Ryuji mutters to Ren, watching Ann laugh awkwardly, still trying to (badly) act her way out of this. 

“We’ll, uh, get out of your hair! But before that-” She digs through her bag, exclaiming happily when she tugs out a small piece of paper, “I was told to give this to you. Apparently Kitagawa-san wants you to come to an art exhibition.”

Ryuji leans forward in his chair, eyes narrowed. “You _do_ know the dude, right? He’s not perving on you or anything?”

You stare at him for a few moments, half shocked. The kid doesn’t even know you but he has the guts to ask if Yusuke is perving on you? You’d be impressed if you weren’t so annoyed with him. 

Thankfully, the question seems to annoy Ann, and she tilts her head at Ryuji and gives her meanest glare. You hear Takuto hiding his laughter from beside you and elbow him with your own deadpan look. 

Ignoring Ryuji, you nod at the girl. “I forgot. I haven’t looked at my phone recently.” It’s not a lie, but you don’t really look at your phone _ever_. You usually make a note to reply to Yusuke whenever he texts you- he gets weird when you ignore him- but you’ve been busy showing Takuto around. Hanging out with Yusuke would be way too much interaction for you to handle. 

She passes over a ticket to you, hand lingering for a moment before she pulls it back. You catch a hint of red on her cheeks but it’s gone before you even think about mentioning it. You’re used to people avoiding contact with you, so you don’t think much about it. 

“Is that all?” You ask, dull eyes flickering from Ann to her friends. They smile awkwardly at you, wincing beneath your gaze. Ann seems surprised, smiling sheepishly.

“I, uh, think so! We’ll get out of your way now-”

“Uh, wanna discuss that with _us_?” Ryuji butts in, standing up. Ren looks at him frantically, eyes flickering between everyone. “We run into Arisato after going on a wild goose chase tryna track her down for an entire week and we’re just lettin’ her go? Ain’t that kinda useless?”

Ann spins to face him, “Don’t just tell her that! And I wasn’t the one looking for her, it was Ren!”

All eyes fall onto Ren and he shrinks away from the looks. Your eyes are finally drawn to the boy, he’s the most unassuming of the group. You know Ann from the school’s gossip but this kid...You wonder why he’s been looking around for you.

Because it sounds awfully creepy. 

Beside you, Takuto laughs cheerily. He seems to be ignoring the awkward aura building between all of you, and you’re not sure whether to feel thankful or not. “I’ve really hogged all of Arisato-chan’s time, huh?”

Ren sighs in relief when everyone turns to look at Takuto, eyeing him curiously. He doesn’t seem to care, casually slinging an arm around your shoulders. 

Ignoring the way you awkwardly try to shrug him off, he grins at everyone. “I’ll be outta her hair soon if you need to chat. Though,” He pauses, eyeing the trio, “I’m not sure you should speak up here. It’s out of bounds, y’know?”

Grinning, Ryuji plucks a key out of his pockets, twirling them around his finger. “We’ve got a key, _sensei_.” He narrows his eyes, “Plus it’s kinda a private thing we wanna talk about. Don’t want some uni student spyin’ on us.”

“Ryuji…” Ren mutters, growing increasingly uncomfortable. He wanted to speak to you, sure, but he didn’t need his friends just _exposing_ him like this. Chances are you think he’s a genuine freak and he honestly doesn’t know why the thought bothers him so much. 

Takuto’s smile tenses but it smooths out, letting his arm drop from your shoulder. “Ah, I understand. You kids love your privacy after all.” He smiles, carefree, and turns to you. “I should head off anyways. Kasumi-chan’s probably waiting on me.”

You frown, “You’re leaving me with these strangers.”

“Oh? Are you scared, Arisato-chan?” Takuto teases, ignoring the strange looks from the other students, “I’d stay and hold your hand but I don’t think I’m particularly welcome here.”

“I hope you trip down the stairs and die.” 

Everyone blanches, even Takuto despite his grin. He’s sort of used to your harsh words now- when you first started showing him around he had found your attitude off putting, but he’s become quite endeared to it over the last week. 

“You’re so cruel!” He grins, nodding farewell to the students. “Well, I’m off. I’ll tell Kasumi-chan you said hello.” 

And like that, Takuto leaves. 

Shifting your weight, you stare at the three dully. “So. You’ve been looking for me?”

* * *

Ren groans, flopping onto his bed. The milk crates creak beneath his weight but he’s too exhausted to care. He hears Morgana pad towards him, jumping up on his bed and staring down at him. 

“You really should’ve seen that coming.”

Morgana is right- he should’ve known that at some point, you would catch on. But as the days went on, he thought it’d never happen, so he never planned what he’d say to you. What would he even say? He didn’t know what drew him to you- maybe it was because you were an outcast like him?

But he never felt like this around Ryuji or Ann. There’s some sort of energy that pulls him towards you, the sort that aches in his bones and makes Arsene restless. 

“But really? Freezing up? I thought you were better than this.” The cat scolds, pawing at Ren’s leg. “I still don’t know what you hoped to get from Arisato, but you’re not getting it now. You were lucky Lady Ann was there, even with her….acting skills.”

Ren flips over, staring up blankly at the ceiling. “She just…” He trails off, frowning to himself, “There’s something about her that scares me, Morgana.”

Morgana tilts his head, “Huh? She scares you?”

“Not like that…” Ren sighs. He doesn’t really know how to explain it but finally seeing you...it was like looking into a mirror. You acted so tough, like you didn’t care, but looking into your eyes…

You looked young, younger than your years. You looked like 15 year old Ren, standing in front of that courtroom. Lost, scared, and nobody to help. 

“I want to help her. And it scares me how much I want to.”

Morgana hums pensively, “I don’t think that’s a bad thing. Aren’t you already helping people now?”

“I never wanted to help people for my own sake. I want to make people happy because they deserve to be happy. There’s nothing selfish about that.”

He swallows tightly, “But Arisato...It feels wrong, I feel like I’m not the right person to help her. But I want to.”

“...” Morgana looks away. Ren keeps staring at the roof, eyes burning. 

“I don’t even know her. Why do I feel like this?”

“...I don’t know. I can’t be the one to tell you.”

He closes his eyes. 

* * *

**skull**

yo

renren

u didn’t answer my message last night

Ren blinks at his phone, squinting to read the bright screen. He remembers passing out last night- barely remembers the conversation he had with Morgana earlier- and that he didn’t charge his phone, nor set it on night mode.

**joker**

i fell asleep 

you know how mona is

**skull**

why r u listenin to a cat lol

whats he gonna do? meow at u?

**joker**

he gives me a disappointed look 

you know the one 

**skull**

dude

think ur just attached to the little rat

**joker**

watch out i’ll sic him on you

**panther**

are you guys arguing about mona again? don’t you let him read this chat, ren?

why are you guys even on the thief chat anyways

**skull**

oh

didn’t notice

**panther**

whatever i have thief business to talk about so it’s fine

**joker**

oh?

**panther**

it’s about kitagawa

**skull**

hard pass

**panther**

and arisato-senpai

**skull**

i’m listening

**joker**

i really wish you’d think before you speak

**panther**

can you two focus for once?

i think we should go to kitagawa’s art thing today

**skull**

once again, hard pass

seriously, i think we should leave the freak alone

**panther**

ryuji…

the madarame nakanohara talked about...it might be kitagawa’s mentor

do you really wanna chance this?

we’re supposed to save people, why would kitagawa be anything different?

**skull**

ughhhhhhh

ok fine i’ll go to this stupid art thing

but rens gotta go 2

**joker**

i was planning to anyways

i’m not giving up on arisato 

**panther**

you’re really invested in her..

you think she can help us?

**joker**

i don't know

i just want to be her friend

**panther**

you’re too nice for your own good, you know?

**skull**

she prolly thinks ur a freak

u looked like ur pissed urself talking to her

not very attractive bro 

**joker**

thanks

for that, i’m making you talk to kitagawa at the exhibition

**skull**

i hate this effin groupchat

Morgana meows from beside him, having read the groupchat alongside Ren. “So, it’s settled then?”

“I guess so.” Ren sits up, stretching his arms. The ticket said the art exhibition was at 12am, leaving them with a few hours to get ready and head off to Tokyo. A part of him still isn’t used to the big city- his home city was small, after all. 

“You should dress nice.” Morgana says after a few minutes of silence, watching as Ren digs through one of his moving boxes, “It’s a fancy art exhibition, after all.” 

Ren tilts his head back to look at Morgana, narrowing his eyes accusingly. “And…?”

“Arisato will be there. She already thinks you’re weird- you don’t want to look homeless.”

He throws a black turtleneck behind him, narrowly missing Morgana. “Wouldn’t think you’d be telling me to dress up for a girl.”

“According to you she’s more than that, right?” Morgana taunts back, stepping over the thrown shirt, “At least talk to her today. She’ll have some insight on Kitagawa.”

It wasn’t like Ren was planning on avoiding you or anything- even ignoring the weird connection he feels like he has with you, you seem to know Yusuke to a point where the boy is on first name basis with you. He won’t ignore how helpful you’ll be if Ann and Morgana’s hunches are right. 

Pulling out his nicest jacket, Ren grins at Morgana. “Fine, fine. Talk to Arisato, make sure Ryuji doesn’t kill Kitagawa. It’ll be a breeze.

* * *

It’s raining when everyone meets outside of the exhibition hall, Ren catching Ann and Ryuji huddling under an awning. He had, thankfully, brought an umbrella. 

“Yo.” Ryuji greets, raising a hand. From beside him Ann gives a nod, tugging her varsity jacket closer.

“Were you waiting long?” Ren asks, shutting his umbrella and shaking it off. 

Ryuji shakes his head, “Nah, we just got here a few minutes ago. Thought we’d wait for you.”

“Thanks.” He smiles. 

They had settled on a game plan earlier- Ann would speak to Kitagawa while Ren, Ryuji and Morgana looked around and scoped the place out. Despite his earlier fail, Ren would be the one to speak to you if you appeared. The whole thing with you was his business, after all.

Even if Ann and Ryuji were way more suited to talking to someone like you.

“Oh. It’s you three.” A voice says from behind them, and the three turn around to see you, clutching an umbrella tight. Ren silently takes you in- greyish turtleneck beneath a grey-blue peacoat and a matching plaid skirt. Insulated tights and black boots adorn your legs, and your usual headphones and MP3 hang from your neck. You look...cute.

“Yo, ‘sato-senpai.” Ryuji grins, wincing when Ann elbows him. 

You just stare at him, brows furrowed. “Sakamoto.” You nod, not really in the mood to argue with him about butchering your name. 

Turning to Ann, you fiddle with the umbrella handle. “Yusuke said to expect you, Takamaki. The other two…”

Ryuji groans at the mention of Yusuke, “Yeah, yeah. Kitagawa doesn’t want us here. He’ll just have to suck it up.”

You shrug. You’re not really bothered about him and Ren showing up- Yusuke’s gonna be annoyed, but he’ll get over it. It’s good for him to interact with other people his age, even if he’s a stubborn brat about the whole thing. 

“I didn’t peg you as an art person, Arisato-senpai.” Ann comments, smiling, “It’s kinda cute of you.”

You pause, staring at her. Ren and Ryuji make furious eye contact and you hear that cat from before meowing. You’ve...never been complimented like this. You’ve never been seen as ‘cute’, just that weird ‘emo’ kid who always avoids the other kids. 

“...Thanks.” You tug at your bangs, “We should go in now.”

“Huh? Oh, of course!” Ann beams, grabbing your hand after you put away your umbrella. The contact makes you feel weird but you hesitantly let her guide you into the hall, leaving the boys behind. 

There’s a few moments of silence before Ryuji speaks up, staring at where the two of you just left. “...Damn, Ann’s got moves.”

“Lady Ann was just being polite!” Morgana protests, quickly muffled by Ren zipping up his bag. 

“What’d you expect? She’s charming.” Ren rolls his eyes, walking in after you two, Ryuji quickly following. 

The gallery is filled floor to ceiling in paintings of various size of type- oil paintings, water colours and even various statues. The place is also _filled_ with patrons looking around, chatter enveloping the air. This isn’t your first time at one of these exhibitions- it’s a bi-yearly thing, and while you weren’t attending Shujin at the time, Yusuke had practically forced you to attend last year. 

“So crowded…” Ren murmurs to himself, shuffling into the hall. He isn’t used to crowds and the fact that it’s an enclosed area…

“C’mon dude, you'll be fine. Stay close, just in case.” Ryuji mutters reassuringly, clapping Ren on the back. 

You spot Yusuke approach from the crowd, wearing the same ‘formal’ outfit you’ve seen him in countless times. The way he beams once he sees you makes up for that ugly outfit.

“(Y/N)! You came!” Yusuke chirps, moving to wrap you in a hug. The affection isn’t new to you- Yusuke is particularly touch-starved due to his childhood- and you’ve known each other for long enough that you aren’t really bothered by it. 

You languidly hug him back, face pressed uncomfortably into his chest. Yusuke pulls back, clearing his throat with red cheeks. His eyes trail off behind you and he frowns.

“You really came.”

Having been told not to antagonise Yusuke, Ryuji gives him a lazy grin. “Didja think we weren’t gonna come? I ain’t leaving Ann and Arisato-senpai alone with you.”

Yusuke huffs in annoyance, “Will you drop this? I don’t know why you’re so convinced that I’m going to harm them. They are not helpless waifs.”

“Yeah, Ryuji, do you think we can’t defend ourselves?” Ann jeers. 

Ryuji narrows his eyes, “Who’s side are you on?”

Ignoring the fighting, you take the time to peer around the gallery. It’s an exhibition hosted by Madarame to showcase his art and the art of locals. Interestingly, art from his appentencies were never shown at his events. Not even Yusuke’s, which was surprising considering how talented he is. You had asked him once, but he seemed to freeze up and avoided the topic. 

“There’s no use in arguing with brutes like you.” Yusuke’s voice breaks through your thoughts, “Come now, you two. I’ll show you around.”

“Oh.” You peer up at Yusuke, biting at your lip. “I’m gonna go look at some of the local artists. I’ll catch up with you later.”

Yusuke looks hesitant for a moment, eyes flickering between you, Ann and the two boys. He had wanted to show you around- he liked your commentary on the pieces, and he didn’t usually get to spend time with you outside of painting. But it was probably for the best- you were quickly catching onto him, and he didn’t need anyone else finding out. 

“Of course.” He nods at you, smiling. “Takamaki, if you will?”


	4. art exhibitions

“Wow…” Ann beams, peering around the gallery, “I didn’t know there were so many types of Japanese art!”

Yusuke seems to preen at the attention, watching with vague amusement. He was right to assume Ann would be interested in the fine arts, not many high schoolers would spend their time in art galleries, nor would they care about traditional Japanese arts. He doesn’t know how you’ve found yourself acquainted with this group, but at least you and Ann seem to share the same fine eye. 

He looks at the painting she’s currently in front of- a drawing of a cat Madarame had done some time ago. “Usually one concentrates on their own style. However, Sensei creates all his paintings himself.” Yusuke pauses uncomfortably, “He’s special.”

Ann doesn’t seem to notice his hesitance, thankfully. “It’s really kind of your sensei to lend out this space to local artists.” She tilts her head back to smile at him, “Arisato-senpai seems pretty interested in it too.”

“(Y/N)?” He murmurs, shifting his weight. “Yes, she likes the more...metaphorical paintings. Sensei tends to stay in a more comfortable and traditional area of art.”

He supposes you’ve always been like that, even beyond the little time he’s known you. It’s not that you reject tradition or anything symbolic like that. You just...like what you like, and it’s refreshing. Too many people wear masks today, even he, so your openness is terribly endearing to him. 

And it’s also what makes him scared. You’re honest in a way that’s observant- if you know something, you’ll say it. He wants to keep you close, to have something truthful in this ever changing world, but you’re catching on. You’re not an idiot, and neither is Yusuke. You’ll find out, soon enough, and he isn’t sure what will happen. 

“She seems like that kinda person, doesn’t she?” Ann’s voice brings him out of his thoughts, and he blinks to see her peering up at him, hands clutched behind her back. “Arisato-senpai’s a free spirit, isn’t she?”

Yusuke raises a brow, “Because she likes a certain type of art?”

Shaking her head, Ann huffs a laugh. “Because she’ll just...run off, doing her own thing.” She thinks back to yesterday, when you interrogated them for five minutes before deciding that you didn’t really care enough to continue, “But you know her best, don’t you?”

It feels suspiciously like an interrogation, but Yusuke answers nonetheless. “That is...correct. She has been my muse for a little over a year now.”

It’s not the info Ann really needs, but god knows Ren’ll be happy about anything regarding you. “How’d you two meet, if you’re okay with me asking?” She tries not to tense- it’s a big risk, asking someone you don’t know something personal. But she needs the insight on you and Yusuke’s relationship- if you’re really that close to him, maybe you’ll know something about Madarame. 

Yusuke narrows his eyes, “...We met last year at the Meiji Shrine. She was standing right in the middle of a landscape I wanted to paint.”

Ann peers at him, even as they continue through the gallery, “What’d you do? Ask her to move?”

“I drew her, of course.” He smiles softly, thinking back on that day. It had been winter- snow covering every square inch of the shrine. While he had initially come there to practice drawing snow, he found himself focusing on the lone figure framed by the torii. Somehow, that image of you standing beneath the falling snow had been so poetic to him, so meaningful in a way he didn’t comprehend. It echoed a sadness he didn’t know existed in him. 

“And then?”

He chuckles, “She turned around and saw me. She threatened to call the police on me.”

Yusuke’s smile doesn’t match his words- it’s a soft sort of smile, like he’s remembering something dear to him. Ann can’t help but wonder what you really mean to him. 

Ann laughs, “That sounds like something she’d do. But you’re close now, right? So it must’ve turned out alright.”

“I suppose it did. I guess she saw something in my art and agreed to model for me whenever she came into the city. It wasn’t very often, but she helped me through many a slump.”

There’s a part of Ann that can’t connect you to the person Yusuke is describing. There’s such an overwhelming sense of apathy to you- she doesn’t think she’s seen an expression on your face that wasn’t blatant disinterest- that she wonders if she’s read you wrong. She knows better than to judge a book by its cover, though. 

“Oh,” Ann stops in front of a gold-framed painting, “This is it- the painting I wanted to see in person!”

* * *

“Ugh, that old lady totally elbowed me…” Ryuji groans, stretching his legs against the tiles. “Never thought some artsy thing like that would’ve been so packed.”

The Shibuya overpass is oddly quiet today, even despite the rain. There’s some people lurking around the bakery, but far away enough that they wouldn’t be able to catch anything they say. Ren’s pretty thankful, even if his limbs are aching to the point that he doesn’t really care. 

“Ann said Madarame was famous, you shouldn’t be surprised.”

Ryuji gives him a withering look, “Thought you’d be annoyed considering we didn’t get to talk to your precious ‘sato-senpai. Seriously, what a waste of time…” He grumbles, grabbing his phone

It’s true that Ren didn’t get to talk to you- even despite what Ann and Morgana had wanted. He’s glad they had some more info on Madarame, sure, but he’s no closing to finding out why he’s so drawn to you and it’s _annoying_. It’s not a thing he can ignore, either. Arsene is a real pain in the ass these days. 

“Shit,” Ren groans, leaning back against the rail, “We forgot Ann.”

“Huh? She’ll be fine. Arisato-senpai’s still there, Kitagawa prolly has a one track mind when it comes to her.”

The sound of footsteps quickly make their way towards the two, Ann appearing from around the corner. “What are you implying, numbskull?”

Ryuji groans again, head falling back against the railing. Ren just looks away, whistling.

“You two…” Ann mutters, rolling her eyes. “Whatever, can one of you get up the Phansite?”

“Hm?” Phone already in hand, Ryuji presses on the app and passes it to Ann. She quickly types something in, nails clacking, and passes it back to Ryuji. 

He takes a moment to read through the post Ann got up, murmuring it to himself before sitting up straight, staring at Ann with wide eyes. “Yo, this forreal?”

Ann rolls her eyes again as Ren bends down to look at the phone screen. 

“A master of Japanese arts is...plagiarizing his pupil’s work…” Ren looks up at Ann, “You think…?”

Sighing, Ann thinks back to only half an hour ago. Yusuke’s reaction to that painting earlier was suspicious, but combined with Nakanohara’s account and now this post...It’s becoming increasingly clear what’s happening with Madarame and his pupils.

“It’s not much, but it’s something to work off of.”

“No kidding…” Ryuji scrolls through the post, wincing, “Sounds like he’s abusing them, too.”

Morgana hops out Ren’s bag, slinking to curl around Ann’s legs. “Abuse on top of plagiarism...How’d you find this?”

Ann shrugs, bending down to run a hand through Morgana’s fur, “I look through the site on the train sometimes. I didn’t really think anything of it until now, but talking to Kitagawa reminded me.”

“You think Kitagawa posted this?”

Morgana meows, arching against Ann’s touch. “We can’t make assumptions, but it’s definitely something to look into.”

The group falls into silence. Kamoshida had seemed so simple- all the evidence was there. But with this- they have to work around Madarame, Yusuke and now you. You’re the most observant one out of the three, but Madarame is an _adult_. He has power, and they can’t risk getting caught. 

There’s also the matter of looking into this further. This art exhibition was their best chance but they barely got anything. You had wandered off on your own and while Ann had gotten some good information from Yusuke, it wasn’t enough to be certain. 

“Hey, what’d Yusuke say to you anyways?” Ryuji’s voice breaks through the silence, stretching his arms above him. Ren shuffles to avoid his arms. 

Ann gives a regretful sigh, “Not much. He talked about Arisato-senpai a little and then shut off when I asked him about a specific painting. There’s something there, but it isn’t enough.”

“Though...he was muttering something to himself before I left. Something about Arisato-senpai and I.”

It had been weird, honestly. He seemed deep in thought, and Ann’s half sure she’s planning to kidnap her or something equally as uncomforting. 

“Ughhh, creepy.” Ryuji huffs a disgusted sounding laugh, “Really rethinking leavin’ ‘sato-senpai with him, now.”

A scoff is heard from a little ways off, and the group turns to see you walking towards them, hands shoved in your coat pockets. “You’re awfully loud, Sakamoto.”

“Is everyone sneaking up on us?” Morgana complains, eyes narrowing behind your curious look. You don’t say anything about him though- if the group has a cat, it’s not really any of your business. 

“Yo,” Ryuji raises a hand, grinning. “You gracing us with your presence again?”

You groan, “Not by choice.”

As if sensing the tension, Ann speaks up with a smile directed at you. “Something you need, Arisato-senpai?”

You shift uncomfortably, a hand leaving your pocket to fiddle with your MP3 player. “...Call me Arisato. We’ll be seeing eachother often, if Yusuke gets his way.”

“That sounds terrifying.” Ren mutters offhandedly, and he barely notices the small upward twitch of your lips. But he does, quickly averting his eyes. 

“Yusuke tends to be terrifying, sometimes.” You shrug, turning to Takamaki. “He’s rather...interested in your fine eye. He’s forced me to ask you to model for him.”

Ann chokes on nothing, surprised. What do you mean ‘model for him’? Yusuke seemed all weird and happy while talking about you being his muse- why did he need her? 

Ryuji, Ren and Morgana all seem equally as surprised, sputtering. 

“LADY ANN TELL HER NO.” You just stare at the cat, eyebrows raised despite not understanding him. He shrinks back. 

“Are you sure he asked for Ann?” Ryuji snickers, wincing when Ren kicks him with a stage whispered ‘Shut up, idiot!’. 

You just sigh again, tired eyes raking over the group. “Don’t complain to me. You don’t have to agree right now. I’ll message you any further details.”

Staring at them expectantly, you look on amused as they try to figure out what you want. “Chat ID, any of you.”

Ann groans, “My phone died earlier. Ren, Ryuji-”

The speed in which Ren whips out his phone is genuinely terrifying and yet, neither Ryuji, Ann nor Morgana are actually surprised. You swap phones, Ren’s hands shaking as his grips your phone. It’s not even the nerves of getting your number- it’s that your phone is really _fucking_ expensive. He can’t imagine you’d be the type of person to care about getting the latest model, so it’s weird. 

Entering his ID, he catches sight on your contact page. It’s...almost empty. Yusuke’s contact is favorited, alongside someone called ‘Narukami’, and there’s a few other sparse contacts. One named ‘Annoying Asshole Therapist’ makes him laugh as he passes the phone back. It’s not much of a surprise given what he’s heard about you. You only transferred to Shujin sometime late last year and your personality had scared everyone off. He pities you, in a sense. 

“...Text me Takamaki’s ID, okay? I’ll be leaving now.”

And you’re off before anybody can say anything. 

“Congrats, Renren!” Ryuji laughs, standing up to clap his friend on the back, “How's it feel getting ‘sato’s number?”

Ann groans, “She said _I_ could call her Arisato, not you, idiot!”

* * *

**panther**

arisato messaged me

**skull**

yo? whatd she say

ask u on a date?

**panther**

what? of course not

it’s like what she said earlier, yusuke wants me to model for him

...alongside arisato

**skull**

wait what

with arisato??????

dude…

**joker**

don’t be gross

**skull**

cmon dude i know ur thinking the same thing

on a scale of one to feral animal, how angry is morgana?

**joker**

hx88457389qcxpmmhq2p39cl;xa/c

Ren stares blankly at Morgana, face devoid of any emotion. “Are you throwing a hissy fit?” He asks, unamused. The cat just hisses at him from where he whacked Ren’s phone out of his hands. 

**joker**

LAHDYYF ANNN DO NITN MODLE FOR THT WEIRIFO 

**skull**

what the shit is the cat typing

this is terrifying

**panther**

can you make him stop

**joker**

I AGRGEHE WITH THHE IDIOTIJIT WE HVVE TTOR SAVE LADY AN AND ARISIATIO 

**skull**

i feel like im having a stroke

**panther**

i didnt say i agreed?

**joker**

OH 

SO YROURE NOT MODELDING?

**panther**

oh no, i am.

**skull**

jesus he’s still typing why did you say that

**joker**

AGRHFNJHHJSFHDJ LADYD ANNN TAKE THTAS S BACK KITAGWS IS AN EIVIL LITTLE EMNAN HE WILL IGVE TYZUU HIS DISEASE **panther**

his what

**joker**

sorry

**skull**

why did it take you so long to get ur phone back from a cat

**joker**

it was funny :)

**panther**

have i mentioned how much i hate you all?

**joker**

on numerous occasions 

are you really agreeing to this, though? 

**skull**

yeah i mean like...dudes a lil freaky

**panther**

its the best option we have

we need something more solid, something we can work with

trust me, i don’t really wanna model for him either

**joker**

morgana says we shouldnt rush into things

did arisato give you kitagawa’s address? 

**panther**

yep

i guess talking to kitagawa first would make sense

**skull**

yeah, dont just jump into that modelling stuff

he’d prolly ask u to get nude or smth

**joker**

you set off morgana you asshole 

now hes gonna give me monster cat rabies


	5. modelling time

It’s been barely three hours into the school day and you’re exhausted. It’s got nothing to do with school, really, but it’s the fact that you have to be switched on after sitting through three hours of Yusuke ranting on the phone to you. How are you supposed to pay attention when the only thing running through your brain is ‘ _oh christ please don’t bring this to court_ ’.

A part of you isn’t surprised that Ren and his friends paid a visit to Yusuke but you’re interested as to why the trio were so desperate to find out about Madarame’s treatment of his students. You’ve been vaguely paying attention to what happened with Kamoshida and how the group were looking into his mistreatment of the volleyball players, but it’s kinda stupid to blatantly ask Yusuke about it.

But it means that you’re not the only one who's noticed. Yusuke had played off the whole thing, calling the group _‘uneducated lunatics_ ’ for even daring to think his precious sensei was mistreating anyone, but he wasn’t fooling you. You know for a fact that Madarame didn’t paint all that art he shows off- half of them aren’t even in the same style as he does. But you’ve never had enough proof, not to mention Yusuke’s reactions whenever you’ve brought it up-

“There you are, senpai!”

You look up from your lunch, ginger pork and rice prepared by your roommate, and stare unamused at the intruder. She just grins at you, her own lunch held tight under her arm. 

“I looked everywhere for you! I was like ‘obviously senpai would be on the roof!’ but then Taku-senpai said he saw you near the canteen, so I went there but you weren’t there! So I asked Okumura-senpai but she said she hadn’t seen you since class! So-”

Sighing, you poke your chopstick in her direction. “You’re rambling, Yoshizawa.”

The redhead freezes, giggling sheepishly. “Sorry senpai! I just get all nervous around you!”

She gets nervous around everyone- in that weird, bubbly way of hers. She’s usually more mature about it though. You’re just awfully intimidating like that, even after knowing you for a few weeks. 

“You need something? I told Maruki-senpai to stop using you to emotionally blackmail me.”

Kasumi tilts her head, “Huh? No, I just wanna eat lunch with you! Taku-senpai wanted to come too, but he had some bookings.”

You’re almost glad half this school has trauma- dealing with both Kasumi _and_ Takuto sounds like absolute hell right now. “Just be quiet, ok?”

Absolutely beaming, Kasumi plops herself on the chair next to you. A part of you isn’t quite sure why you put up with someone as peppy as her, but you suppose you didn’t really have a choice. Kobayakawa, probably out of spite, had made you show around both the new first year and the new counsellor. Maybe it was because you were one of the only third years without any ‘official’ extra curricular going on, but you’re sure the principal just hates you. 

The second you found out they were disgustingly peppy childhood friends, you knew it was over for the peace and quiet you wished for this year. Almost like they were missing a third member, they had latched onto you like leeches. Thankfully, given your different year levels (Kasumi being a first year, you being a third year and Takuto being a first year uni student) you didn’t really have to interact with them that often during school hours. 

The silence doesn’t last long however, as Kasumi peers at you curiously. “Oh, Senpai! Do you mind if I ask a question?”

When you shrug, still picking at your lunch, she takes it as a go-ahead. “What do you know about the Phantom Thieves?”

It’s an...odd question, to be sure. All you really know about the group is that they did something to Kamoshida- forced him to confess his crimes. It’s not something you really care about, if you’re being honest. He’s rotting in jail and that's all that matters.

“Nothing. You’ve better off asking someone involved with Kamoshida’s mess.”

Kasumi hums thoughtfully. She’s not really surprised that you haven’t been paying attention but she still finds herself intrigued by the whole thing. After all, she only got here after Kamoshida was arrested. But everyone she’s asked has been little help- it’s just gossip and outlandish theories. She was thinking about speaking to those three second years who keep lurking around you but the gossip about them has stopped her. You’ve complained about them, too. 

You sigh at her downtrodden look, “Go bug Maruki-senpai about it. Maybe he’ll break his code of ethics for you.”

“Huh? Senpai, that’s a crime!”

* * *

Thankfully, the rest of the week goes smoothly for you. Yusuke goes off the radar for a bit, but you’re just happy nobody is bugging you anymore. Even your roommate has let up- something about your test grades being good. It’s a bit suspicious how everyone is so quiet but you don’t want to jinx things. 

...And then you do. 

It’s after school hours when Ann approaches you from across the hall, beaming as per usual. “Arisato! Do you have a minute?”

You don’t, really, but Ann reaches you before you can even say anything. The gardening ‘club’ can wait, you suppose. Her acting isn’t as stilted as that day on the rooftop, but you can tell that her smile is a little forced compared to how it usually looks. She pulls you aside into a classroom, leaning against a nearby table. 

“I wanted to talk to you about the whole...modeling thing. You’ve modeled a lot for Kitagawa-kun, right?” When you nod, she sighs in relief, “I don’t...really know how to model for paintings. Usually I just change poses every five seconds and then it’s over super quick!”

Right, you almost forgot that Ann was a popular model. You’ve seen her on the cover of fashion magazines a few times- it’s pretty amazing that she’s only 16 and one of Japan’s rising models. Her humbleness is an added surprise, too. 

“It’s not that hard once you get used to it. You kinda just...sit there.” You explain, hands in your blazer pockets. “Are you planning to model for Yusuke?”

Ann shrugs. It’s not like she really wants to model for him- the dude is practically blackmailing her- but if she’s gonna do this, she wants to know what she’s getting into. “ I have to get out of my comfort zone someday, so why not now? Plus you’ll be there, right?” 

Her puppy eyes nearly weaken your resolve. You nod, bangs falling in front of an eye. “Yusuke is...picky with his models. It’s a surprise that he asked for you.”

‘ _He just wants to paint two girls naked!_ ’ Ann complains inwardly, trying not to scowl. 

You continue, brushing away your bangs. “Honestly, I’m surprised he still wants to paint you.”

“Huh?” Ann says, dumbly. 

“Yusuke told me what you and your friends did. Whatever you’re trying to do here...Don’t bring me into it.” You narrow your eyes at Ann and the sudden change of mood is almost frightening, “Yusuke is my _best friend._ You can do whatever you want but-”

“If he’s your best friend like you say he is, you should know why this is important!” Ann counters, suddenly glad the classroom she pulled you into was empty. Your eyes widen at her tone, but stand your ground.

Ann pushes off the desk, coming to stand in front of you. You crane your head to look at her, eyes narrowing into a glare. “I understand how you feel...I wanted to keep Shiho safe…” Ann trails off, throat tight, “But I couldn’t.”

“Takamaki…”

“But,” She continues, “You _can_. You can help Kitagawa-kun, Arisato.”

Your lips open in a gasp as Ann steps even closer, face close to yours. She looks mad but she’s...smiling so softly, a hand reaching to rest against your shoulder. “I know I’m asking a lot of you, and I’m sorry...But I need you to cooperate with us, for the sake of Kitagawa-kun’s safety.”

You can barely speak, the closeness causing you to fluster. This kind of contact is new- Ann is so, _so_ close, nearly chest to chest- and you can feel your resolve breaking. “T-Takamaki-”

“Ann.” She whispers, breath hot against your face. 

“Ann…” You swallow tight, “What do you need me to do?”

* * *

What the actual fuck did you just get yourself into?

You stare, deadpan, as Ann walks into the room wearing about 50 layers of clothing and looking like that girl from Willy Wonka. She had talked to you about this ‘plan’ beforehand- all you needed to do was sit there and look pretty- but she didn’t mention this. Was she actually planning to model for Yusuke in the first place?

You doubt it, and the sight of Ren’s cat sneaking around only confirms it. 

“To think you’d really come…” Yusuke muses, fiddling with his paints. “I assumed (Y/N) was fooling around when she said you’d model for me.”

Ann laughs uncomfortably. Was he seriously trying to act like he wasn’t blackmailing her? They both know she’s not here out of her own free will. “Sorry it was so sudden- you know how hard Arisato is to find!”

Yusuke shrugs, “It’s not a problem. I’m just a little surprised- normally (Y/N) has her gardening club today…” He murmurs to himself, “But no matter. I’m glad the two of you could make it.”

He still hasn’t turned around and you take the time to glare at Ann from under your bangs. She just waves back at you teasingly- though the action is a struggle considering her layers upon layers of shirts. 

“However,” Yusuke continues, “Sensei will be returning in twenty or so minutes- (Y/N) has met him on numerous occasions- but I apologise if that...causes some anxiety on your part, Takamaki-san.” 

_‘He’s what I’m here for, dammit!’_

In all honesty, Ann doesn’t know how she’s gonna drag this on for 20 minutes. She’s hoping the clothes will be enough- but the thought of posing nude for someone is almost making her sick. She knows this is for the Phantom Thieves and it’s an entirely different situation than Kamoshida but it feels the same- she’s being blackmailed into doing something she doesn’t want.

Your glare softens at the sight of Ann- you might be a bitch sometimes but you’re not a terrible person. “Yusuke, you should rethink the whole nude thing.” You suggest, tugging at your bangs, “Takamaki’s never done it before. Try to ease her in.”

Yusuke can’t help but frown to himself. Since when did you care about how others felt? And to the point of suggesting he change his plans...He tries not to scowl when he turns around, but he’s too shocked by the sight of Ann to even think about it. 

“Takamaki-san…” He murmurs, eyes wide, “D-did you...happen to gain some weight?”

Her laugh is disgustingly fake, and you can’t help but cringe. “Huh, I don’t think so? I do feel kinda bloated today, though…” 

“Right, right.” Yusuke adverts his eyes, evidently uncomfortable. You just watch the scene with faint distaste for the two. “I apologise (Y/N), but this painting would not work the same with the two of you clothed…”

You and Ann both sigh, and Yusuke’s smile feels forced when he turns to look back at the two of you. “So...could the both of you, um...get ready?”

Ann’s giggles hide how terrified she is, “I’m kinda nervous! Could you look away, Kitagawa-kun?” She bats her eyelashes and you nearly gag. Yusuke just seems to get flustered, turning around instantly. 

“C’mon, Arisato-chan! You should get undressed too!” Ann coos, pulling you up from your chair. You can hear Yusuke start to choke on his spit, but you’re too busy whisper-shouting at Ann to care. 

“Fine... Hey- don’t touch me there!”

Still looking away, Yusuke does his best to _not_ think about the implications of what you just said. He’s painted you semi-nude on occasion- and he’s never found naked bodies inherently sexual- but something about this situation is making him overwhelmingly flustered. It’s not that he’s attracted to Ann but with you…

A grey jacket is flung next to him and he realises in startling clarity that it’s _your_ jacket. Your stockings are next, alongside some of Ann’s shirts and he does his best to not look at them. 

“Wow, Arisato-chan! Your clothes looked really tight!” 

“T-Tight..?” Yusuke’s voice is strained, muttering to himself, “No, I’m doing this for art…!”

You and Ann both exchange half-disgusted glances. It’s not as if he hasn’t seen you unclothed- he’s painted you semi-naked plenty of times. You wonder what’s changed... is it the fact that Ann is here?

Ann giggles again, “Kitagawa-kun, your Sensei’s coming back soon, right? Maybe we should move this somewhere else- it’s pretty stuffy in here!”

_‘Because of your gross mouth breathing! Seriously, don’t you paint naked bodies on the regular?’_ She inwardly complains, flinging another shirt Yusuke’s way. 

Yusuke, still pointedly not looking in the direction of your discarded clothes, answers absentmindedly. “This should be good enough…”

There’s a back and forth between Yusuke and Ann but you’re busy slowly and carefully gathering up your MP3 player and headphones- taking the utmost care as you place them in your school bag. They used to belong to someone very important to you...you’re not risking anything. 

When you turn back, Ann is dressed down in her school uniform and Yusuke is looking between the two of you, becoming increasingly flustered. You suppose seeing two underdressed girls is a little uncomfortable- but Ann’s literally in her school uniform and he’s seen you in your underwear before, so a skirt and a turtleneck isn’t anything too risque. 

Maybe he’s just being weird?

Ann nudges you, awkwardly beaming, and you think she wants you to say something. “Wow. It’s cold in here.” You pretend to shiver, the motion stiff, and Ann’s face drops.

_‘She’s a terrible actor!’_ She groans inwardly, trying to smile as she tugs you closer. “If we’re gonna get...y’know,” Ann cringes, “We should at least be comfortable! Don’t wanna poke an eye out!”

You stare at Ann, unamused. “Poke an eye out?!” You whisper shout to her, trying to pull away from her. Seriously, is she trying to make this even more awkward? Yusuke’s busy muttering to himself and you swear he’s about to burst a blood vessel. 

“If...a warmer room makes you more comfortable, then…” Yusuke muses to himself, lost in thought. He supposes moving elsewhere won’t hurt- maybe the two of you will be more willing to try more...expressive poses- but Ann seems dead set on a room with a lock and the only door that has a lock is...Madarame’s top-secret storage room. 

“C’mon, Arisato-chan!” Ann giggles, tugging you into a side hug, “It’s getting kinda hot, don’t you think?” She then starts dragging you out the room, shrugging off her blazer as you go. 

You have zero clue how she manages to strip down into a tank and shorts while still clutching onto your wrist, nor why she starts tugging at your own clothes. 

“Strip, Arisato!” She whispers pointedly, trying to untuck your turtleneck from your skirt. You _really_ don’t want to be shirtless in the hallway of Madarame’s dingy shack, but Ann doesn’t seem to care. Maybe if she gave you the fucking memo about wearing something underneath, you wouldn’t be so annoyed. 

She _had_ thought about it, admittedly. But she had thought just seeing you without your bulky coat and stockings would be enough to distract Yusuke, which it evidently wasn’t. And she wasn’t planning to strip for this freak, so…

You try to push away her wandering hands, glad that you put away your MP3 player earlier. “I didn’t consent to you _groping_ me!” You manage to tug down your turtleneck, glaring at the girl. What the fuck is she playing at? You still aren’t privy to the reasons why Ann is doing this, but she told you it didn’t include you actually getting naked. 

She whispers to you again, a hand reaching up to brush away your hair. “Play along, please! Just trust me!”

Pulling away, you continue glaring at her, ignoring your red cheeks. “You’re just trying to get me naked!”

Ann can hear Yusuke approaching, but she ignores it in favour of you. She’s...surprised you’re getting so worked up over this. You’re normally very stoic...Maybe you get flustered easily? It’s honestly kinda cute, and Ann almost wishes she wasn’t in the middle of a mission so she could test out her theory. 

She doesn’t bother contemplating _why_ she feels like this about you, instead letting go of your shirt and going back to tugging you down the hallway again. Yusuke’s calling out for the two of you, but the door is right there-

“Morgana?!” Ann hisses when the black cat comes into view. She knows she can’t say anything else with you around and thankfully Yusuke comes barreling towards the two of you before you can even comprehend that Ren’s cat is here. 

Hunched over to catch his breath, Yusuke looks up at the two of you through his eyelashes. “T-Takamaki-san,” He pauses to exhale loudly, “Please, I can’t let you-”

“Let me what?” Ann asks, trying to act absentminded. “This door has a lock, riiiiight? Why don’t we...do _it_ here?”

Her acting makes you cringe but you really don’t want to get involved with this. Why she’s so dead set on this room, you don’t know, but you probably shouldn’t ruin it. But Yusuke doesn’t seem so convinced…

“...Only Sensei can go in there. I don’t have the key-”

Ann interrupts, giggling. “I’m sure your sensei won’t mind, right! It’s just for art, right?” She drawls, eyes flickering between you and Yusuke. He’s pointedly not looking at you, cheeks flushed. Maybe...she can use this to her advantage. 

“Are you….nervous, Kitagawa-kun?” She murmurs slyly, grinning when Yusuke stares at her in surprise. “All alone...with two undressed girls…”

“T-Takamaki-san,” Yusuke chokes, “What are you-”

Ann moves closer to you, drawing you into her chest with her arms wrapped around your shoulders. “Or...are you nervous...excited, even, seeing your precious Arisato-chan with another girl?”

Well then. This isn’t what you expected when Ann cornered you in a classroom after school. 

“T-That’s-”

“What? Am I wrong, Kitagawa-kun?” She purrs his name, “Or maybe you’re jealous…”

The three of you come to a standstill. There’s a weird sort of tension between you all, and you can’t help but wonder what’s going to come of it. You don’t know why Ann is baiting Yusuke, nor why he’s reacting like this. A part of you wants to get away from all this but another part is...intrigued. 

“Kitagawa-kun,” Ann starts, drawing a hand up to caress your face, “Are you in love with A-”

The front door opens. Madarame calls out for Yusuke. 

“S-Sensei!?” Yusuke seems to come out from whatever trance he was in before, looking for his father figure. It makes Ann come to action too, as she tugs you into the now suddenly open door behind the two of you. The room is dark and you can barely make out what’s in there. It’s a bunch of...paintings? You aren’t surprised considering whose house it is, but something feels wrong. 

Madarame comes into view, eyes flickering between the two of you and Yusuke. You don’t think he realises it’s you given the dim lighting of the house. “What are you doing there!?”

You try to move away from Ann, feeling yourself get angry. She said….that this would help Yusuke, but it’s just going to make Madarame mad at him! And now that you’re involved, it’ll just hurt him more…

Yusuke starts panicking, even looking at you for help. You just avoid his eyes, feeling sick to your stomach. You’re starting to really wish you never agreed to help Ann. 

“I-It’s...It’s not what it looks like!” Yusuke starts, trying to defend himself before sputtering as Ann pulls him back into the room by his stomach. She basically throws him onto you and the two of you stumble back into the back wall, the back of your legs knocking over….paintings?

You can feel Yusuke begin to panic, but he...doesn’t move? His legs are tangled with yours, head resting against the wall above you while out of breath but he stays pressed up against you. You feel trapped, almost. 

“Takamaki, what the fuck are you doing?” You say to the inky darkness of the room, hands moving to steady yourself against Yusuke’s shoulders. Shuffling noises are heard, along with move paintings falling over. 

Ann murmurs something about light switches to herself before the lights suddenly flicker on, revealing a room with shelves upon shelves of-

“Are you kidding me…?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> double update(?) i mean im just publishing stuff ive already published elsewhere. just remembered this fic exists since im typing up a new chap lol. anyways stan kasumi <3


	6. of art and museums

You can’t do anything but _stare_ at the sight in front of you, blinking uncomfortably to adjust your eyes to the sudden light. 

“Are you kidding me…?” You blurt out, your words feeling empty. You feel a little empty yourself, if you’re being honest. Yusuke’s body is heavy against yours from where he’s slumped over and you feel like you’re going to sink down into the floorboards. 

Maybe you’re overreacting, but this…

“What..” Ann starts, looking as confused as you, “What is this?”

You can feel your fingers tighten against the material of Yusuke’s shirt, bunching the fabric in your hands. He shifts uncomfortably, probably due to your fingernails digging into his shoulders, and you suddenly realise you’re holding him closer.

Do….do you not want him to see? 

You hesitantly let him go, hands moving to clutch at your turtleneck. The space below your chest is empty, and you feel almost naked like this. You haven’t felt like this in a long time- your brain is screaming at you to run, to get out of here. But you’re frozen in place. 

Yusuke eventually pulls away, scanning the room with wide eyes. He looks surprised but you...don’t think he’s realised the implications of all this. “Sayuri…” He murmurs, “But why are there so many of them…?”

Neither you nor Ann answer but it’s not like you’d have the time, because Madarame stumbles into the room looking panicked. You’ve never seen the man look so frazzled, and you’re not sure if you feel smug or terrified. 

“Sensei…” Yusuke falters and you somehow manage the courage to grab his hand, squeezing it tight. He looks at you with an unreadable expression and squeezes back. “What’s the meaning of this?”

You suppose you shouldn’t be surprised when Madarame starts blatantly lying to Yusuke, but it still makes you angry. “I suppose I can’t keep quiet now that you’ve seen this..” He looks away, trying to pull the whole ‘sad old man’ look, “Truth be told...I’m in severe debt. I handmade these Sayuri copies and have been selling them through a special connection of mine.”

You try not to scoff. Does he seriously expect you to believe that? It’s more like he just wants to get more and more profit without actually having to paint anything. You don’t think Yusuke fully believes it either, given by his pained expression. 

“The real Sayuri...was stolen by one of my pupils long ago… I assume they disliked my way of teaching, but I never expected them to…” He pauses, looking choked up, “Since then, I’ve been mired in a terrible artist’s block. Because of this distress, my pupils have...helped with ideas from time to time.”

Ann quickly flicks her eyes to yours and you find yourself doing the same. You don’t know what her little group had come up about Yusuke but…this basically confirms your theory. Madarame, at the very least, had been taking ideas from his pupils. Maybe with a little probing…

Madarame starts again, stepping closer to Yusuke. He stands his ground but the grip on your hand tightens. “I knew I couldn’t keep that up, so I attempted to recreate the Sayuri a number of times. However, it resulted in nothing more than replicas...That’s when someone came to buy the paintings, knowing well they weren’t original.” He sighs, “It’s all my fault, I couldn't pay the price of being famous. As expectations for me rose, it reached a point where I had no choice but to keep making them...I needed money to further your talents- I ask that you please forgive your cowardly teacher…!” 

He’s...trying to guilt trip Yusuke? He tenses up next to you and takes a step back. “Please don’t…!”

“...Are you really telling the truth here?” You question, eyes narrowing. “If the original painting got stolen, you shouldn’t have been able to make copies.” 

Madarame stares at you, apparently only just realising who you are. You’re not really surprised that he didn’t recognise you at first. “Arisato...why would I lie?” He laughs uncomfortably, “I...happened to find a finely detailed photograph of it in an artbook.”

Ann scoffs, moving to stand closer to you. “So you managed to sell fakes, which were copied from an artbook? I’m not sure how this works but...Don’t people who buy paintings generally have a keen eye for the fine arts? This sounds like a lie to me.” 

“What would you know!?”

“Something isn’t adding up, Madarame.” You scoff, before blinking in confusion when you hear a cat meowing. Is that...Ren’s cat again? You don’t have any time to react before Ann starts pulling off the tarp covering one of the paintings.

All four of you stare at the painting, quiet. 

It’s Yusuke who interrupts the silence, looking horrified. “This...This is the real Sayuri! But you just said a moment ago that it was stolen…!”

Madarame’s expression turns twisted as he snarls at the three of you. “That’s a replica!”

“No, it’s nothing of the sort! This painting kept me going...It’s the reason I made it this far.” Yusuke steps forward, looking pained, “Sensei...don’t tell me…”

You know this is for the best- that Yusuke needs to realise that Madarame has been using him- but...seeing him like this hurts. You just wish it didn’t have to be like this. 

But Madarame seems adamant about disregarding all your concerns. “It’s fake- a counterfeit! I heard there was a counterfeit spreading around, so I bought it!”

You raise a brow, unamused. “You bought a counterfeit of your own art?” 

“Sensei...You’re lying, aren’t you?” Yusuke murmurs, “Please...just tell us the truth.”

For a second you think Madarame’s had a change of heart, but he pulls out his phone and punches in a few keys. “There. I’ve reported you to my private security company.”

“What!?” It’s Ann who expresses your exact thoughts- he fucking snitched on you? For what, exposing his shady business practices? 

“Please, wait!” Yusuke begs frantically, “Let’s talk about this…!”

Madarame scoffs, flipping his phone down. “You can talk all you want to the police. That includes you, Yusuke.”

What…?

“You can't…!” You blurt, feeling on the verge of a nervous breakdown, “Yusuke has nothing to do with this!”

“Protecting Yusuke even now, Arisato...It would be admirable in any other situation.” Madarame laments, not looking even the tiniest bit guilty. 

You want to say something, anything, but you’re interrupted by another meow. You almost forgot that cat was here for whatever reason. He runs out of the room and-

So does Ann, who grabs a hold of your wrist and tugs you along, in turn pulling Yusuke along with you. It’s like a fucking train of you chasing after this cat. 

“T-Takamaki-san!” Yusuke croaks, stumbling into you as the three of you try to navigate the hallways of Madarame’s shack. As you try to regain your balance you can’t help but wonder what the _fuck_ Ann is trying to do, but then-

_Beginning Navigation._

* * *

Ryuji groans, rolling back his shoulders. “Maaaan, those shadows were tough!” 

The museum palace is almost empty as the two backtrack to the closest exit. Ren laughs at the boy beside him, nudging him with an elbow. “You got through them pretty easily.”

“Someone’s feelin’ nice today! You weren’t half bad either, Joker!” 

Ren shrugs off the compliment- he’s still not used to how open Ryuji is. “I suppose I’m more...motivated than usual.” 

They stop in one of the plazas- the one that used to house the giant paper doors that they had to get rid of- and Ryuji takes the time to start bandaging his injuries. With Morgana and Ann gone, they didn’t have a healer, and the healing personas Joker had weren’t exactly cutting it. “Motivated, huh? You talking about ‘Sato being involved?”

“You don’t need to say it like that…”

Laughing, Ryuji throws a bottle of Recov-R at Ren. He catches it, barely. “M’not judging you, dude. Think we’re all a lil’ extra motivated ‘cuz of her. Seriously, doubt Panther would’ve gone along with this if it weren’t for her.”

“Y’know,” Ryuji ponders aloud, “Wonder why Panther’s so attached to her? You don’t think…”

Ren rolls his eyes, chugging down the medicine. “Don’t think what, Skull?”

The two have a stare-off, and it’s Ryuji who loses after only a few seconds. “Arghh, don’t make me say it! Anyways, you think Panther and Mona got out there alright?”

Shrugging, Ren opens his mouth to say something but-

“ARISATO I’M SORRY PLEASE DON’T HURT ME!”

The two look up to see...You, Ann, Yusuke and Morgana falling from the fucking _sky_. 

Yusuke lands first, groaning in pain at the contact. You’re next, landing somewhat gracefully in Yusuke’s awaiting arms. He stares down at you, confused out of his fucking mind and you’re sure you look similar. You wonder if you’re having a moment before Ann lands atop you, Yusuke groaning with the combined weight of the two of you. 

Thankfully, Morgana seems to land somewhat gracefully only a few meters away from you. 

The three of you take a moment to just...take in what the fuck just happened. 

“What the fuck is all this?” You manage to spit out, staring around this gaudy ass looking place. It’s so….gold and disgusting looking. You carefully shove Ann off you before Yusuke collapses, bringing you down with him. 

“Oh no! Arisato, Kitagawa-kun! Are you guys alright?” Ann gasps, scrambling to look over the two of you. You’re surprised when a red, cat-like mask comes into view. What the fuck is she wearing?

You manage to slide off of Yusuke’s prone body, sitting up and looking around. Yusuke does the same, gaze landing on the two figures only a few feet away. “Who are you all…?”

Ann’s dressed in some weird red leather catsuit with the aforementioned mask, while the two other figures are dressed in mostly black. The blonde one is wearing a metal looking mask, and the noirette has some sort of mask that resembles the one Tuxedo Mask has in Sailor Moon, just more filled out. 

“Calm down, Kitagawa-kun! It’s me!” Ann placates, still looking extremely panicked. If it weren’t for the pigtails, you probably wouldn’t have recognised her. 

Wait...if that’s Ann, then…

“Sakamoto, Amamiya…” You murmur, “Where are we?”

Ren shifts uncomfortably under your gaze. He knows that you’re not going to understand the Metaverse, and honestly he doesn’t know how you’ll react. “We’re inside Madarame’s heart.”

Yusuke laughs, a tinge of hysteria in it. “Very funny, Amamiya-san. I don’t appreciate you making a fool out of me.” He stands up shakily, holding out a hand for you. You can feel his hand shake as he pulls you up and that flood of guilt comes back to you. You can’t imagine what he’s feeling right now. “Maybe you should seek help for your delusions.”

“He ain’t lyin’. This is what that bastard truly feels, he’s nothin’ but a greed-filled money-grubber.” Ryuji says, scoffing. He could’ve put it in a nicer light considering Yusuke’s mental state, but you suppose he’s right on the mark. 

You’re a little impressed that these three caught onto Madarame so fast- it’s taken you months and months to even get the tiniest bit of evidence Madarame has been mistreating his pupils. You suppose you just never had the courage to speak to Yusuke after the first time you approached him about it. 

He...hadn’t reacted well. He accused you of many different things, mainly that you held some weird grudge against Madarame and that you were just using Yusuke to further your goal. It had hurt at the time- it still does, knowing that he thought so little of you at that moment- but your friendship recovered overtime. Neither of you ever brought it up again, but your modelling sessions now took place at your apartment to lessen any contact between you and Madarame. 

“Enough of this rubbish!” Yusuke spits, hand still holding yours. You only just notice that he never let go- and that his grip is really fucking tight. But you don’t pull away. 

Always the voice of reason, Ann tries to calm Yusuke down. “Kitagawa-kun...Didn’t it cross your mind that something wasn’t right about Madarame?”

“That’s…”

“You may not want to believe it, but this is another reality as viewed through Madarame’s eyes. This is his true nature.” Ann explains, looking somewhat guilty. It’s not like she wants to be the one to break this to him, but he needs to open his eyes at some point. 

Yusuke scoffs again, “This repulsive world…? How…”

“Don’t ask me, dude.” Ryuji laughs, even despite the tense atmosphere. “We’re just here to change the hearts of rotten crooks, and your sensei fits the bill.”

The grip on your hand loosens and Yusuke starts to mumble to himself. You can barely make out what he says, something about ‘the sensei he knows not existing’. You wonder how he’s still so adamant about Madarame being a good person. 

“Still…” His voice is louder, “he has kept me safe these past ten years. My gratitude for that won’t just disappear.”

You pull away from him, wincing when he stumbles back from the disbalance. “You’re….just going to forgive him? After all this?”

Yusuke stares at you, wide eyed. It’s obvious he’s having an internal debate about what to say, and you almost feel bad for speaking out. “(Y/N)....N-Ngh!” He drops to his knees, clutching at his head. 

Dropping to your knees, you ignore the spike of pain that goes through your legs and focus on Yusuke. “Yusuke-”

He murmurs your name, leaning into your hand when you bring it up to cup his face. “I’m...trying to be rational about this, but my emotions are overwhelming me…”

The museum is drenched in silence for a few moments and you carefully bring your thumb across Yusuke’s cheek, worrying for his health. You hate how emotional you’re being right now, especially in front of Ren and his friends, but it’s Yusuke…

“Sorry, but we don’t have time to dawdle.” A high-pitched voice interrupts the silence, “The security level’s gone through the roof...We need to get out of here, quick.”

Yusuke groans, and you bite the inside of your cheek. “...Okay. Yusuke, can you walk?” You get a nod in return, but decide to support his weight as you stand up either way. He’s probably lying, given his current state. 

You barely take in the environment as you’re led through the twisting hallways and gaudy architecture. In all honesty you can see how this is the inside of Madarame’s heart. You also don’t comment on the weird cat-looking creature who spoke earlier- you doubt you’d want to know its story. 

The cat tells you you’re approaching the exit when two shadows form from the floor, molding themselves into the shape of security guards. You wonder if Ren and co. are gonna fight them, but the sound of maniacal laughter forced your attention elsewhere. As a group you spin around to see…

Madarame, wearing a gaudy golden robe and red lipstick, with a freaky haircut and bright, golden eyes that seem to stare into your very soul. Talk about fucking creepy. 

This doesn’t seem to be news to the others, as Ryuji scoffs amusedly. “Talk about bullshit clothes! First a king, now some kinda shogun!?”

Madarame ignores Ryuji’s remark, grinning gleefully. “Welcome to the museum of the master artist Madarame!” 

Beside you, Yusuke tenses. “Huh…? Sensei, is that you?”

“Ugh…” You groan, disgusted by the sight of him. He lives in a shack but thinks of himself like this...What an asshole. 

The golden-robed man notices the looks you’re all giving him, moving to flaunt himself. “My usual ragged attire is nothing but an act. Besides, a famous person living in that shack?” He scoffs, “I have another home...under a mistress’ name, of course.”

“You-” Yusuke looks uncomfortable, starting to rest his weight on you more and more. “If the Sayuri was stolen, why was it in the storage room? And if you had the real one, why make copies!? If it’s really you, Sensei...please tell me!”

He’s on the verge of crying when Madarame bursts into laughter, “You’ve always been slow on the uptake, you foolish child. You still don’t see? The painting being stolen was just a false rumour I spread! I staged it, made it seem like I was selling those art snobs the real deal!”

“No…!” Yusuke sputters, legs nearly dropping from out beneath him. You struggle to keep him upright, but the two of you quickly collapse onto the floor. 

Madarame just looks down at the two of you as if you’re the dirt beneath his feet. “The worth of art is purely subjective...Thus, this is a legitimate business transaction!” He shrugs, “Though I doubt a brat like you could ever come up with such a brilliant scheme.”

“You keep goin’ on and on about money this, money that… No wonder you ended up with this disgusting museum!” Ryuji interrupts Madarame’s monologue, snarling. The fact that he and the rest of his friends are so passionate about this...you can’t help but be a little impressed. 

Ann speaks up next, having moved closer to check if you and Yusuke were alright. “You’re supposed to be an artist, right!? Aren’t you ashamed of plagiarizing other people’s work!?”

“Art is nothing but a tool… A tool to gain money and fame!” Madarame grins down at Yusuke, red lips curling. “You helped me greatly as well, Yusuke…”

His gaze falls to you. “Though, I must admit your friend here was a pain to deal with...irritating pests tend to find one another, don’t they?”

“(Y/N)...” Yusuke shakes under your arm, avoiding your gaze. 

Madarame continues on. “Do you know how close I was to reporting her? Having the gall to ask my very own pupil if i was using- abusing him! I’m thankful said pupil was too cowardly to say anything!” He keeps laughing while you stay silent. This isn’t your fight right now. Even if Madarame’s bringing you up, this is for Yusuke to talk out. 

“You...is this how you truly are? All the people who believe in you…who think you’re a master artist…” Yusuke murmurs, eyes glazing over. 

Madarame laughs at the sight.“...I’ll tell you this alone, Yusuke. If you wish to succeed in this world, I’d advise you don’t rise against me. Do you believe anyone could find success with my objection holding them down?”

“To think I was under the care of this wretched man…!” 

Madarame steps closer to the group, the security guards following behind. “You thought I took you in out of the goodness in my heart? Plucking talented, yet troubled artists allows me to find promising pupils and take their ideas… After all, it’s much easier to steal the futures of children who can’t fight back.”

“You…” You mutter, sick to your stomach. Was this the true Madarame? All the times you spoke with him, is this what he was thinking?

“....I tire of this small talk. It’s time that I-”

“...You are unforgivable.”

Madarame tilts his head, “Hm?”

Shrugging off your arm, Yusuke shakily manages to stand up, stumbling. “It doesn’t matter who you are...I won’t forgive you!”

You stare in awe. Is...he standing up to Madarame? A surge of pride goes through you- he is! 

Madarame doesn’t seem so amused. “So...you repay these years of kindness with ingratitude…? You damn brat!” He swings around to face his guards, “Men! Dispose of these thieves!” 

“Get back!” Ann shouts, grabbing one of your arms and pulling you to your feet. You stand, unsteady, and watch with wide eyes as Yusuke starts chuckling. 

“How amusing….It seems the truth is stranger than fiction, hm?” His eyes flicker to you, softening, “I wanted to believe it wasn’t true...I denied it, even to the one who truly cared for me…”

He looks back ahead, staring down Madarame. “My eyes were truly blind...Blind, and unable to see the truth self behind this horrible man…!”

And all of a sudden, everything goes quiet. You can feel your heart beating rapidly in your chest, Ann’s grip on your wrist and how fucking tight your turtleneck feels but it’s quiet. So very quiet.

And then-

Yusuke’s eyes open sharply, bloodshot and golden. All you can do is stare in horror and he begins to writhe in pain, grabbing at his face and dropping to his knees once more. It’s still quiet, but now punctuated by his pained screams and the screech of his bleeding nails against the tiles.

“Very well…” He speaks, golden eyes glowing bright as a kitsune mask appears on his face. He grabs at this, wincing at the sound of his skin pulling away. 

He rips off the mask with a shout, blood streaming from his face. “Come, Goemon!” He’s bathed in blue light, slowly fading away to reveal Yusuke in some sort of black, blue and white jumpsuit and a very traditional japanese looking man floating behind him. 

“A breathtaking sight... Imitations they may be, but together, they make a fine spectacle…” Yusuke chuckles, reaching out his gloved hand, “Though the flowers of evil blossom, be it known... Abominations are fated to perish!”

“Yusuke…!” You gasp at the sight, feeling so undeniably proud of him. You have zero clue what the fuck just happened, but that doesn’t matter right now. 

Once again, Madarame doesn’t seem so impressed. “Hmph...who do you think you are!? The price for your insolence will be death!” He looks around him, “Where are my guards!? Kill them all!”

Yusuke doesn't seem perturbed by the amount of guards appearing, instead going straight into a hero monologue. “The children who adored you as ‘father’… The prospects of your pupils… How many did you trample upon…? How many dreams did you exchange for riches!?”

“No matter what it takes...I will bring you to justice!”


	7. music of the sirens

“...ato? Arisato, come on!”

You blink suddenly, wincing when all you see is the gaudiness of the museum. God, something shouldn’t be so fucking bright. 

“Ughhh…” You groan, trying to sit up. A hand on your back helps you, and you recognise the first voice as Ann. “Takamaki…? What…”

“Oh, thank god!” Ann sighs in relief, leaning back. You come to realise that you’re lying on some sort of couch- maybe in a reception area? “You were out for like, that entire fight! You passed out all of a sudden!”

You...passed out? You remember confronting Madarame and Yusuke awakening to that weird figure, ‘Goemon’ you think it was, but other than that…

But why would you pass out? It’s not like-

“Ngh!” You clutch at your head, trying to cope with the sudden spike of pain in your skull. It’s like your brain is trying to block out something…? God, what the fuck is happening today? This whole thing is confusing and stupid and you just want to-

“(Y/N)...” Yusuke murmurs, alerting you to his presence. He seems calmer than before when he brings his gloved hand to your forehead. “You’re burning up…”

Ryuji snorts, “What? You have the flu or somethin’?” He winces when the group (sans you) glare daggers into him. “I’m tryna lift the mood, there’s no point in moping right now!”

“Ugh, you could _try_ being sympathetic?” Ann turns back to you and Yusuke, eyes softening. “You two must be exhausted...We should head back.”

“Wait!” You interrupt, instantly wincing when your skull pulses. “You can’t expect me not to ask questions- what the fuck is happening here?

Ren shifts awkwardly. It’s…not like he can really tell you. He wants to- god Arsene is absolutely screaming at him to come clean- but getting you involved with all this Phantom Thief shit probably wouldn’t be such a good idea. You’ve helped enough with Madarame’s case- and that’s going to be it. 

“These four...they are-” 

“Don’t tell her, Kitagawa-kun.” Ren interrupts the blue-haired boy, stance uncomfortable. He doesn’t want to do this but it’s for the best. “We don’t need anyone else to get involved.”

Ann, Ryuji and Morgana all swing around to look at him in surprise. “What the hell dude, weren’t you the one desperate for her attention?”

“Yeah!” Ann agrees, looking irritated. “We should at least let her know the basics- she’s already involved!”

You stay silent, staring at Ren through your bangs. So, he wants you to stay in the dark? But they asked for your help- they’re the ones who got you involved with all this! So why…?

Ren doesn’t meet your gaze. “This is dangerous work. What if she gets hurt?”

Both Ann and Yusuke scoff. “Why is (Y/N)’s wellbeing any more important than my own? From the looks of things, all of you could get hurt in this line of work.” Yusuke argues. He’s confused too, why is Ren so adamant about leaving you in the dark? He wants to protect you too- the thought of you getting hurt is _terrifying_ \- but he and you are in the same camp right now, so what makes him any different?

“Well-” Ren starts, but it’s Ryuji who interrupts this time. He’s usually pretty in tune with Ren but this time? He’s out of his fucking mind. 

“‘Sato could be big help, Joker! And ‘sides, she already knows about this meta-shit! So why-”

Ren glares at Ryuji, tugging at his hair angrily. “Because I’m worried about her!” He exclaims, breathing heavily, “I wanted her help, yes, but I didn’t want her to become a Phantom Thief! It’s for the best if she doesn’t know-”

“Why do you get to decide that for me…?” You demand, trying to keep your volume in check. “I’m not a fucking idiot, Amamiya. I can make decisions for myself- I’m not a stupid, dumb child!”

“Arisato…”

You laugh uncomfortably. “No...I’m not a child, am I? I’m old enough to know things! Why aren’t I allowed to know things?!”

Ann reaches over to comfort you but you slap her hand away, frantically shuffling back. You can’t deal with her pity right now, with any of their pity. They’re all looking at you like you’re some rabid animal!

“You all drag me into this shit and then toss me away when you’re finished? Don’t act like I’m some child that doesn’t know any better- I’m already involved, whether you like it or not!”

Ren seems shocked at your outburst. He hasn’t known you for long but you’ve always been put-together and reasonably stoic, so this is unexpected to say the least. Not to mention how weird it is to watch you practically break down like this. 

God, he wishes it weren’t his fault. 

“Arisato, you don’t know what you’re getting into-”

You sit up straight, doing your absolute best to not just jump him. “Then _tell me_! I should be able to decide what’s best for me!” You can feel Yusuke’s gloved hand on your back, stroking, and you try not to pull away. You know you should calm down but it feels...good to finally let this out. 

On the other hand, Ren doesn’t feel as good. Why are you making this so hard? He can see that you’re caught up about something, and he feels like it isn’t solely about this situation. “You’re not listening to me. Just calm down-”

“Don’t tell me to calm down!” You stand up, stumbling to the side. You suppose passing out did quite the number on you, and you’re not even strong enough to push away Ryuji when he moves to steady you. “All my life I’ve been left in the dark. It was always that I’m too young, too unstable, too dumb to understand! Why aren’t I allowed to make these decisions for myself? Why-” 

“Arisato-” Ren starts before flinching back when you look straight into his eyes. You’re….crying.

“I don’t even know how my own _brother_ died.”

The room goes silent as you continue, eyes wide. “He died and they just sent me away! They said I was too young to understand- and then Narukami said the same thing! Just for fucking _once_ , I want to be privy to all these fucking secrets!” 

You try to step forward again but even with Ryuji’s help you teeter off to the side, stumbling. “Shit, Arisato! Don’t do that!”

Unfortunately, you’re more focused on this killer headache that suddenly just appeared. It’s similar to the one you had before but much, much worse, and it brings you down to your knees and clutching your head. “Nghh…”

“Guys…” Morgana interrupts frantically, “We need to get out of here, now!” As he says this, a hoard of shadows manifest from thin air, too many for the group to handle at this point. But it’s too late to run, and one of the shadows lunges at your prone body. 

_Thwip!_

Ann’s whip tugs the shadow away from you, slamming it into a nearby wall. “Shit!” Ann swears as she takes in the situation. You’re on the floor writhing and vulnerable while the boys are standing around looking like idiots. “One of you, protect Arisato!”

This pushes the rest of the thieves into action, thank god. Ryuji quickly scoops you up while Ren begins to dish out commands to the remaining thieves. A reception area like this isn’t the best place to fight, but they have to make do. 

Ryuji carefully drops you on one of the couches across the room, making sure to avoid any extra pressure on your head. “Shit, c’mon Arisato, talk to me!” He begs, before realising he probably shouldn't be talking so loud. “Just say anythin’, okay? Lemme know if you’re hangin’ in there…”

“Ugh...You’re so loud, Sakamoto.” 

He grins. You’re coherent enough to complain, it seems. “You feelin’ alright? You took a pretty nasty fall there.” He’s got a sneaking suspicion that he knows what’s actually going on here, but he doesn’t know if he should press it. It’d be cool as shit to see what happens, but he’s worried about Ren. The dude’s weirdly against you being involved, even though it’s what he wanted from the beginning. Maybe he’s acting tsundere?

Ugh, the thought of Ren acting like an anime schoolgirl is gonna make him break out in hives. 

“My head went….all fuzzy. Like a really bad migraine, but worse.” You explain, wincing when your head pulses again. It was manageable until you started thinking about it, weird enough. You tell Ryuji this and he frowns, deep in thought. So maybe it’s not a natural pain? Which basically confirms his thoughts about this whole thing but-

“Skull, can we get a hand here?” Ren calls out just as Arsene lets off an eiha. It doesn’t kill the shadow and he winces, mentally swapping through his persona for any unused elements. Nothing's working, and he’s becoming increasingly stressed. Physical moves have been working the best, but Yusuke isn’t strong enough to cast the spells they need and Ren himself doesn’t have the right personas. 

Ryuji groans, standing up from his spot next to you. God, Ren had the worst possible timing ever. “Don’t worry, ‘sato, I-” He pauses, “ _We_ won’t let anything hurt you.” Running into the fray, he sends you a reassuring grin before brandishing his metal pipe. You watch in awe as with his other hand, he rips off the metallic mask on his face. A large figure appears behind him, just like the one that appeared behind Yusuke before. 

_Are you jealous?_

You sit up, grimacing at the pain that shoots through your spine. That voice…

_Look at them, fighting to cover you while you sit here, pitiful. Are you really this weak?_

“Ngh…” You grip at your chest, fingers digging into the material of your turtleneck. “I’m...not…”

The voice chuckles; a deep, familiar sound. _But yet, you do not fight. You’re rather selfish, you know? You whine and you whine, but you do nothing to change things._

You want to deny the voice but...can you? You wallow in pity about being left in the dark but when have you ever tried to do anything about it? You left Tatsumi Port Island without any questions and when Narukami tried to hide the truth from you, you let him. You fought about it, sure, but you could’ve pressed it more. 

Maybe….you never really wanted to know the truth of these situations. 

_So you finally realise...what will you choose?_

“H-Huh?” You manage to murmur before your body is overcome with agonizing pain, causing you to fall forward, landing on the tiled floor. You absentmindedly realise that you’ve fallen onto the floor a lot recently, but the pain rips every single coherent thought from you. All you can feel is the excruciating pain and you just want it to stop-

Stop…

“Stop!” You shout, stumbling to your feet, veering to the side. You manage to stay balanced somehow, and begin to grasp at your chest once more. “I- are you trying to make me confess my sins or something?”

Still in battle, the phantom thieves exchange wary glances. They’re all got a suspicion about what’s happening, but they’re too busy trying not to _die_ to really do anything about it. “God, I knew you shouldn’t have left Arisato alone!” Ann shouts over the noise of the battle, gunning down another shadow. It barely flinches, even when Ryuji follows it up with a swing of his pipe. 

“Joker’s the one who called me back! Trust me, I’d be nursin’ the shit out of her if I could!”

Yusuke sighs, slicing through a nearby shadow. “Do you have to be so crass? I don’t appreciate you disrespecting (Y/N).” He scoffs when Ryuji laughs as he idly stretches out his bum-leg. 

“Cut it out you two! If Arisato’s gonna awaken to a persona, she can help us defeat these shadows!” Morgana explains, much to Ren’s annoyance. Great, this is the opposite of what he wanted!

Ryuji snickers at the look on Ren’s face, concocting a plan. “Yo, ‘sato!” He calls out, waving his pipe in the air, “You gonna come help us or what?” 

Even as Ren begins to demand what he’s pulling, Ryuji’s pretty proud of himself. You seem pretty trustworthy, so why not try to speed up this whole recruitment shit? It’s like a two for one deal, with you and Yusuke!

Hearing your voice, your gaze moves to Ryuji. “Huh?” You ask, head still spinning. Did he just…

“I asked when the hell you’re gonna get off your ass and help us! I know you got the potential, you just gotta accept it and all that crap!” 

Ann looks between you and Ryuji before grinning. “He’s right! You gotta fight for the things you want, (Y/N)! You can do it!” She flusters a little at saying your first name again, but it’s for an important cause! 

“You two…” You murmur, stepping closer to the fight. They’re being massively overpowered by these shadows but they’re taking the time to cheer you on…?

_Do you see it now?_

“You wouldn’t let something like this hold you back, would you?” Morgana shouts as he pulls back his slingshot, hitting one of the shadows straight in the eyes. “This should be easy for you!”

It’s Yusuke who speaks up now, holding up his katana in defense as he gazes at you softly through his mask. In all honesty, he’s a little ashamed that you never trusted him enough to tell him these things about yourself but he can understand it. He hadn’t reacted too well when you pressed him about his life, so he imagines you’d be the same. 

But this just means he gets to learn more things about you. Maybe the two of you can start over- you’ve both been exposed today, and he doesn’t think he can be that old Yusuke around you anymore. 

“You’ve never been afraid of speaking your mind, so why now? Where’s that energy of the girl who threatened to get me arrested all those years ago? Who wasn’t afraid to ask questions, who always spoke her mind?” He smiles weakly as your gaze moves to him. You look so scared and it breaks his heart. “I believe in you, (Y/N)! Do what you must to acquire the truth you desire!”

_You blinded yourself to the truth..._

Ren swallows tightly. He can feel Arsene at the forefront of his mind and finally-

He nods, smiling at you. “Don’t disappoint me, Arisato.”

_So, my dear sister, what will you choose?_

Your eyes shoot open and you begin to grasp at your face, feeling a bulky weight on it. “Minato…” You murmur quietly, fingernails beginning to dig beneath your skin. You’re not surprised your guilt would manifest as your dead brother, his death had always affected you the most. 

_Will you stay in the dark, forever blind, or will you forge a new path for yourself?_

“Is that...even a question?” You laugh, beginning to pry off whatever's on your face. The skin begins to rip and despite your heartbeat pounding in your ears, you can still hear the tearing noise. “I won’t...hide…anymore!”

_Took you long enough._

With a shout, you tear off your mask and almost instantly you can feel the power course through you. It’s like all the pain has been replaced with an overload of energy- all you wanna do is fight and fight and-

_Reach out and grasp the truth for yourself!_

You grin, feeling a presence looming over you. “I’ve been a coward for _far_ too long!” Your heels clack against the tiles as you stroll closer to the fight, eventually sprinting. A long, thin naginata begins to manifest in your hands and you grasp it tight. 

“Come forth, _Orpheus_!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> another double update, enjoy


	8. beneath the mask

“Holy shit! Way to go, Arisato!” 

Shifting your weight, you manage to not flinch when Ryuji slaps a hand on your shoulder, giving you a proud look from behind his mask. The rest of the thieves seem to share the same enthusiasm, as Ann practically barrels you over with a hug the second the fight is over. Morgana and Ren look on with pride in their eyes, while Yusuke starts checking you over for injuries. 

“You were absolutely stunning! I expected nothing less from you!” Yusuke beams, satisfied when he finds nothing a simple dia spell can’t fix. You’re not used to this sort of praise and you’re thankful for the heavy mask obscuring your face because you think you might be blushing. Speaking of your mask…

You look over Ann’s shoulder, peering at Ren. He looks a little guilty when he meets your eyes but you’re not sure how you feel about him right now. No use in thinking about it too hard. “So….that was…?”

“A persona.” He confirms, “A manifestation of our inner self.”

Nodding absentmindedly, you wonder why it manifested as Orpheus. His presence feels familiar to you and his voice is the same as _his_ used to be but…

“Nghh..” You groan, clutching at your head. The three surrounding you pull back, Yusuke barely stumbling away with his own pain. “Don’t tell me…”

Morgana hums, “Arisato and Kitagawa are completely drained...We should get back before any more shadows find us.” He suggests, turning to the three original thieves. “You guys help them to the entrance.”

Ann, Ren and Ryuji all share a look. 

“I’ll help Arisato!” Ann grins, slipping an arm under you and _bridal carrying_ you. The other two stare at her in surprise- they hadn’t even had time to _think_! They both grumble as they move to support Yusuke, who stares at them in distaste. 

“You two are quite pathetic, you know that?”

Ryuji glares at him. “Shaddup!”

* * *

“Are you cold?”

At the sound of Ren’s voice, your eyes flicker over to look at him. It’s odd how unassuming he looks in real life compared to his other self, back in the Metaverse. He’s rather handsome, even behind the large glasses and bed hair, but you think he lacks the charm to pull it off. A shrug is his only answer. 

He sighs. He knows his actions back in Madarame’s palace were pretty shitty, but it doesn’t mean you have to pretty much block him out. His gaze moves to the figures walking ahead of you two- Yusuke, Ann and Ryuji are caught up in some debate he doesn’t care to follow, while Morgana weaves through their legs while adding in his own two cents. It then falls back to you. Yusuke had gone back into his shack after the group exited the palace to grab yours and Ann’s belongings, so it wasn’t like you were only wearing a turtleneck and skirt but-

“You’re shaking.” He points out and you quickly shove your hands into your coat pocket, glaring at him. He just smiles back, albeit a little sheepishly. “I’ve got my winter coat on me if you want it.”

You frown, annoyed that he noticed it. Having lived on a breezy island for most of your life, you still weren’t really used to Tokyo’s weather. The days tended to be fine but the nights are always cold, much to your distaste. “It’s fine.” Almost to prove his point, your body involuntarily shivers right when you say it. 

He laughs, pulling the coat out of his bag. It’s Shujin’s mid-winter coat, and when he lays it over you it absolutely _swamps_ you. You look like some kind of annoyed cat when you peek out of the fabric with a chilling glare. “You’re such an asshole, Amamiya.” Even so, you pull your arms through the sleeves, watching as the coat completely smothers you. “...Thanks.”

Ren stares at you for a moment before his face smooths out in a smile. “Come on, they’ll leave without us.” He motions towards the rest of the group, face breaking out into a grin when Ryuji looks over his shoulder to wave the two of you forward. 

You’re both pulled into the conversation- apparently they had been explaining the Metaverse to Yusuke, and they quickly rehash the whole thing for you. It’s easy enough to understand and Ryuji huffs in annoyance when both you and Yusuke declare that you’ve got the gist of things. 

The discussion continues even as you pile into a booth at a local Shibuya restaurant. Ryuji and Ren explain the whole Kamoshida explanation while Ann flags down a waitress, the five of you taking a moment to order drinks. Parts of the story aren’t a surprise to you, but things like Kamoshida’s palace and Ann, Mishima and Shiho’s cognitive selves make you wince. You can’t imagine how it would feel, seeing what a monster like that sees you as. 

You sip your coffee as you listen, commenting every so often when the story falls to you and Yusuke. You’re a little surprised to find that you and Yusuke knowing each other was a complete coincidence to this case, and that the reason the three were looking for you wasn’t because they wanted info on Yusuke. Ren at least has the mind to look sheepish about the situation. 

Yusuke hums in thought. “You never told me these three were...stalking you. I had assumed you were all acquaintances when we met.” He peers at you, “Were you not put off by it?”

“Uh, you stalked us too?” Ryuji interrupts, rolling his eyes. Yusuke gives him a droll look. 

“Must you lie? I simply followed you.”

Tapping your fingertips against the wooden table, you peer at Yusuke from under your bangs. “I didn’t really care. What others do isn’t any of my business.”

Ann turns to Yusuke, smiling slyly. “What she means is that she contemplated getting us arrested before calling us freaks and leaving.” 

“I never noticed how often you threaten to arrest people…” Yusuke murmurs thoughtfully, taking a sip of his tea. It is kinda weird, now that you think of it. 

“I hope you’re not thinking about turning us in, Arisato.” Ren comments absentmindedly and the whole group turns to him, surprised. 

Ryuji’s face falls, looking disappointed. “Seriously dude? I thought you got over this shit- ‘sato ain’t gonna snitch on us...Right?” His eyes meet yours. Wow, he went from defending you to suspecting you in 15 words. 

He winces when Ann slaps his arm in annoyance. “God, the both of you are terrible! Let Arisato speak for herself.” 

You ponder for a moment. What would you truly gain from turning them in? You don’t have tangible proof of their thievery and the police wouldn’t trust a delinquent-looking kid like you anyways. “There’s no point. Like I said, what you do isn’t any of my business.” 

Ren nods, looking unsurprised. “I thought you’d say as much, Arisato.” The grin he gives you is small, like he doesn’t exactly remember how to smile, but it’s cute..

Ugh, what are you thinking? The dude’s a complete asshole. 

“Now that things between you and (Y/N) have been settled…” Yusuke interrupts, placing his cup down carefully, “Will you let us join as members of the Phantom Thieves?”

Ann and Ryuji gape at him, surprised, while Ren sits back with an amused smile on his lips. He saw this coming of course- he doesn’t know much about Yusuke, but he doesn’t seem like the type to just leave this be. His gaze trails over to you and the resolve in your eyes is rather promising. 

He still doesn’t understand his problem with you- rather, Arsene’s problem with you. Something about you strikes some sort of familiarity in his persona, something he hasn’t gotten with any other persona users. It’s like...he knew you were going to be involved. It’s why he tried to keep you away from this whole thing- this draw to you felt wrong. 

Though, this whole situation felt wrong. Becoming a Phantom Thief, _the Velvet Room_ , and everything else. He had said he wasn’t the one to help you but was he the one to help any of these people?

...Maybe he’s overthinking things. 

“Had I faced reality sooner…” Yusuke’s eyes flicker to yours, filled with guilt. “This may have been avoided. I must put an end to this for the sake of the others whose futures as artists were robbed, as well. And...for the ones I have scorned.”

Morgana’s head pops up above the table from where he’s situated on Ren’s lap. You almost forgot he was there- he’s an awfully quiet cat when he wants to be. “Your mentor may have a mental shutdown if we screw up. We have ways to prevent that, but no real fail-safes....We told you about the chance we took with Kamoshida.”

It’s a conflicting thought, that Madarame could potentially die. You don’t want the man to die for what he did, and Yusuke probably still had lingering traces of affection for his father figure. But it’s not like you can let him get away with his crimes. 

“There is no other option.” Yusuke states plainly. “Madarame is a man who has the art world under his thumb and many, many connections.”

A famous man like Madarame...you can’t imagine what he’d do if you tried to confront him directly. “You saw how he reacted to us finding the Sayuri.” You add, hands tightening around your cup, “If we spoke out now, it won’t end well. We have to do this indirectly.”

“Kitagawa-kun...Arisato-chan…” Ann laments sadly, eyes flickering between the two of you. She wonders what Madarame has put the two of you through to bring you to this….

“I suppose it’s a deal then.” Ren confirms after a few seconds of thinking it through. The two of you had already awakened to your personas and were willing to help, it’d be stupid to let you go. And maybe he’d finally get on your good side for once. 

You and Yusuke nod and exchange small smiles with one another. Finally...you can pay Yusuke back for all he’s done for you. His hand finds yours underneath the table and you squeeze it tight- you never thought you’d end up becoming a phantom thief alongside your best friend, but you suppose this isn’t the worst outcome. In all honesty, you think this could do you some good. 

“Hell yeah! Two new members of the Phantom Thieves!” Ryuji cheers despite being in public, slinging an arm over your shoulder. “Great to havcha, (N/N!)”

You blink up at him. Was that his attempt of a nickname? God, and here you thought ‘sato’ was stupid. “Since when were we on a first name basis?” 

“Since now, silly!” Ann laughs, sipping her fruit drink, “We’re friends now, right?”

Friends...That sounds nice. You haven’t had a lot of friends in your life, so maybe trying it out with these guys won’t be so bad. “...That means I’d call you Ann, right…?” 

The table is silent before Ann leans over and pinches your cheek, absolutely beaming. “You’re so cute it should be illegal, (Y/N)-chan! You’re our own little heart stealer!” She coos and you try to push her away, still in Ryuji’s side-embrace. It doesn’t work and you’re stuck being coddled by the two pushy blondes. 

Yusuke eyes the three of you, looking uncomfortable. “Are they-?” He shakes his head, deciding he doesn’t even want to know. “I mentioned how I spoke to Madarame earlier, correct? He believes that I continued pursuing Takamaki-san and (Y/N).”

The mention of your names brings you and Ann back into the conversation, and the other girl leans back into her seat. “Oh right, you said something about that. What’d he say?”

“He was complaining to the security company how they couldn’t even catch two high school girls.” Yusuke comments lightly, before furrowing his brows. “However, he’s still furious about it, and said that he’s going to take legal action against everyone.”

You can’t help but scoff. “What, against two teen girls?” Seriously, wasn’t he going a little too far? Would a case like this even hold up in court?

Ann nods, agreeing with you. “He’s acting way too desperate...You think there’s something else going on?”

“It’s possible, but it shouldn’t be our main focus. If he were to act, it’d be after the exhibit is over. Any scandal during the show would be his loss.” 

Morgana hops onto the table, looking as serious as a cat could possibly look. “We’ll have to force a change of heart before then, if we’re to dodge this ‘legal action’ thing. Looks like our plan must be accomplished while the exhibit is still open!” The table breaks into murmurs of agreement- it gives you about 15 days, which you hope is enough to steal this ‘treasure’ the others had mentioned when recalling the Kamoshida incident. 

“By the way...what is this?” Yusuke motions towards Morgana, who seems insulted by his question. Right, Yusuke wouldn’t know about the cat, would he? Though you don’t really understand how the cat can talk either. 

An arm still around your shoulders, Ryuji leans forward with a grin. “A cat.”

Yusuke frowns. “But it’s talking.”

“You have a problem with that!?”

* * *

When your phone pings as you’re eating dinner, you’re a little surprised to see that you’ve been added to a new group chat. You weren’t even aware you had enough contacts on your phone to even have one. You pull Ren's coat closer as you open up your messenger app, wondering who's added you. 

**ryuji**

yooooo

welcome to the chat, u 2

**yusuke**

The band?

**ann**

not the band, kitagawa-kun

it’s our groupchat!

**(y/n)**

why am i not surprised you three have a groupchat.

**ryuji**

cuz like

everyone has one?

You blink at your phone, feeling like an out of touch adult. You’ve heard students around Shujin talking about group chats and such but were they really this common? Wow, you really don’t know shit about how normal teenage friendships work, do you?

Well, you suppose this is as good a time to learn as any. 

**ann**

ugh don’t be insensitive 

we talked and basically we thought we should add the two of you to this chat!

there’s a second chat for our serious stuff but this is more like

a normal teen groupchat

**yusuke**

I’m afraid I don’t know what a ‘normal group chat’ entails.

**(y/n)**

don't worry yusuke, neither do i.

**ryuji**

it’s kinda sad tht i’m not surprised

were u like, sheltered or smth?

**ann**

RYUJI

YOU DON’T SAY STUFF LIKE THAT

**yusuke**

I was, in fact. 

The only numbers on my phone are my Sensei,

(Y/N),

And 119.

**ryuji**

dude

why do you have the cops saved in ur phone

it takes two whole seconds 2 type that shit in

**(y/n)**

it makes him feel safer. 

**ann**

i-

to each their own, i suppose

i thought you’d know about this kinda stuff though, (y/n)

**(y/n)**

hm? why?

**ryuji**

dunno

just assumed you'd be popular at your old school? 

**ann**

yeah, exactly! 

i’d get pretty sad if i had nobody to talk to, but you never looked like you really cared

**(y/n)**

i never knew you two paid such close attention to me. 

do i really give off that kind of energy, though?

**yusuke**

A little, I must admit. 

At first glance, it’s almost as if nothing could bother you.

I know better now, of course.

**ryuji**

duuuude do u ever make any actual sense

wtvr we’ll just have 2 teach u about how all this shit works

just call me ryuji-sensei!!!

**yusuke**

How odd.

But if you insist, Ryuji-Sensei.

**ryuji**

bro

i was talking to (y/n)

**yusuke**

Oh, I know. 

**(y/n)**

…

oh, my guardian is calling for me.

i’ll speak to you all later. 

(y/n) has left the chat.

**ann**

great you two scared her off!

“(Y/N)?” Your guardian’s voice reachers you as he peeks his head around the corner, “Do you want seconds?” Of course he’d ask you that, he always tended to cook too much. You suppose that’s what comes after cooking for three for quite some time. 

You’re about to reply when his eyes flicker down to your phone, widening. “Oh, were you texting Kitagawa? I thought I said no texting at the table.” He scolds but the apron he’s wearing lessens any effect it may have had. You think it’s one his uncle got him last year, reading ‘kiss the chef’ in english text. He only wears it because he knows you hate it. 

Rolling your eyes, you turn the screen off. He isn’t your dad or anything, why does he have to scold you for tiny things? You’re too tired to argue back, however. “Sorry, Sorry. Yusuke's just…” You pause. It’s not like you can tell him about this whole metaverse shit- he’d think you were crazy! “Checking up on me. This whole Kamoshida business has put me on edge.” 

Your roommate hums to himself, moving to take a seat at the kotatsu you’re at. “The P.E. teacher who was abusing his students, right?” You nod. “It’s good that he got exposed. I can’t imagine what would’ve happened if this continued…”

You nudge him, “We got free therapy out of it, at least.” 

He narrows his eyes. “You know you could get actual therapy if you wanted. You-know-who definitely has the money.” He comments and you groan at the mention of ‘ _you-know-who_ ’. You don’t want to use any more of her money than you already do- she’s currently paying for your school fees and rent, you’d feel selfish taking anything else from her. 

Plus, you’d rather not accept money from someone who pities you. 

Your guardian chuckles at the sour look on your face. “Sorry for bringing her up, but seriously, even I’d pay for it.” 

“I was kidding.” You exasperate. God, he doesn’t need to take everything so seriously. “Hey, I’m gonna sleep early tonight.”

He eyes you in concern. “...If there’s anything on your mind, you know you can tell me, right?”

Laughing softly, you stand up and start heading to your room. “Right.” You confirm and shut the door behind you. The room is silent without your presence, and he lets himself slump over.

“(Y/N)...” Yu murmurs, closing his eyes, “I hope you’re not getting yourself into trouble.”


	9. museum of vanity

“Soooo,” Morgana hums the second class gets let out, “Are you gonna talk to Arisato-hime today?” 

Ren takes a second to thank every soul up above that nobody notices the meowing coming from his desk. Maybe it’s because of all the noise his classmates are making but normally Morgana takes care not to be overtly obvious. Apparently he’s fine with disregarding any sense of secrecy if it means taunting Ren. 

Also what’s with ‘hime’? First calling Ann a lady and now calling you a princess...Ugh, he doesn’t even want to know what’s going on inside Morgana’s head. 

He eyes the cat with annoyance. “We talked yesterday. She and Kitagawa-kun need a break, so why would I bother her?” It’s a lazy attempt at debuffing Morgana - of course he knows that he needs to talk to you, but it’s a little too early for that. He hasn’t even gotten that weird spooky voice in his head talking about ‘wings of rebellion’ and what not, so it’s probably not the right time. 

Or maybe he’s scared. The two of you are on weird terms and he doesn’t want to accidentally make it worse by saying something offensive to you. 

Morgana doesn’t seem so impressed. “She’s our teammate now. As a leader, you need to make sure everyone’s on the same page as you. That means apologising for anything...questionable you may have said.” He glares up at Ren, blue eyes glinting. 

“Are you lecturing me?” Ren scoffs, leaning back in his chair. “What would I even say to her? Sorry for bringing up old trauma? Sorry for triggering a persona awakening?”

Ann leans back, peering at Ren from over her shoulder. He isn’t surprised that she was listening in. “Just apologise for being an asshole. Seriously, it’s not that hard.” She comments, frowning. “Like Morgana said, it won’t do us any good if there’s drama between teammates. Especially concerning our leader.”

Great, so they’re both ganging up on him? Now all he needs is Ryuji popping in to give his two cents as if he wasn’t getting on your case last night. The thing is, he does want to apologise to you, but he feels like you need some time to calm down. Plus, you’d probably know he was only apologising because he was forced to, which would make you even angrier. 

“C’mon, Frizzy hair. The longer you leave it, the worse it’s gonna get.” Morgana pops his head out of the desk, pawing at Ren’s leg. “Sent her a text to see where she is. Don’t make me force you.”

Ren huffs. “You already are. I’ll talk to her but don’t be surprised if she tells me to piss off.” Though he’s annoyed with Morgana, he gives the cat a little scratch under his chin before taking out his phone. In all honesty he’s hoping you’re busy so he doesn’t have to do this. 

  
**ren**  
hey, it’s amamiya  
what are you doing right now?

You don’t text back immediately, thankfully. Most likely you’re ignoring his text, because who wants to talk to the guy who practically said you’re useless?

Okay, maybe he didn’t say exactly that but _still_. He hasn’t been the nicest person to you recently and he wouldn’t blame you if you’re ghosting him. “You know, she’s probably gone home.”

“Oh!” Ann speaks up after a few moments of silence, “Yesterday, Kitagawa-kun mentioned that she has gardening club...Maybe she’s up on the roof?” She suggests before turning back and beginning to pack up her stuff. Ren wonders if she stayed back just to chastise him. 

He doesn’t remember any sort of ‘gardening club’ being mentioned when Kawakami talked to him about school clubs. But he does recall spotting planters up on the roof a few times, littered with small signs detailing what seeds were planted in them. He hasn’t been up since they started meeting at the access way in Shibuya, so who knows what it looked like now.

The phone in his hand vibrates for a split second, alerting Ren to a new message. It’s from you, unsurprisingly, though he’s surprised when he reads the contents of the message. 

**(y/n)**  
i’m on the rooftop  
if you’ve got time, come up  
i need to talk to you

Morgana peeks over at the screen before grinning, somehow. “Here’s your chance! Go talk to her!” He prods, cheekily. It’s almost unreal how annoying this cat is. 

**ren**  
i’ll head up now  
see you in a few

He’s never felt awkward texting anyone before, but it feels like one wrong word will ruin everything. It’s almost weird how much he’s worried about ruining the chance to befriend you, but he supposes it might have to do with the ‘draw’ he feels towards you. Like if he ruins everything, he’ll lose you as a confidant. It doesn’t really make sense considering you shouldn’t be any different than Ryuji or Ann or anyone else, but still…

“...” He grabs his bag and slings it over his shoulder, hunching over for a second so Morgana can hob in, “I’ll be going now.”

Ann peers up at him, clutching her own bag in his lap. She’s mid-text, and he thinks she might be speaking to Shiho. “Oh? Text me what happens, alright? I’ll be at the underground mall if you need to talk.” Ann offers, giving him a smile. He gives one back and waves as he makes his way out of the classroom.

“Isn’t Lady Ann just the sweetest?” Morgana muses, practically swooning over the girl. Ren can’t help but agree- he doesn’t think he’s ever met someone as kind and supportive as her. He can’t believe anyone would ever hate her, but the students at Shujin aren't exactly the nicest of people. After all, you can’t judge a book by it’s cover. 

...He thinks about you for a moment, before deciding he doesn’t want to go down that road. He doesn’t really know you well enough to judge the ‘you’ everybody else sees and the real ‘you’, and it’s not something he wants to do anyways. 

There’s still quite a few students residing in the halls, either chatting to their friends or making their way to after school clubs. He spots quite the line-up in front of the nurses office and chuckles to himself. He wonders if people actually need counselling or if they want to catch a glimpse of the ‘attractive university student’. 

Knowing this school, it’s probably the latter. 

Finally, he reaches the roof-top doors, which are thankfully unlocked. He doubts you would’ve locked it behind you, but Ryuji’s the one with a key and he’s probably off playing arcade games in Shibuya. Looking around for anyone that might be watching, he slips through the metal doors. 

The roof doesn’t look too different to how he remembers, except that most of the seeds seem to be sprouting and that you’re there, on your knees as you carefully tend to the planters. You haven’t noticed him yet, and the faint noise emanating from you tells him why. You’re...listening to Lotus Juice?

Old headphones, old MP3 player and old music? You sure like vintage things, it seems. It’s a rather cute quirk, he thinks to himself. He wonders if you’re the type of person to listen to vinyl and all that other hipster-type stuff. 

“Wow...I wouldn’t have expected Arisato-hime to be so diligent.” Morgana muses, mostly to himself. Ren can’t help but agree- you seemed more like the delinquent-type than someone who would spend their time gardening. It’s a nice surprise though, seeing that you aren’t some uncaring robot. 

Well, yesterday practically proved him wrong but still. You? Gardening? He wouldn’t have ever guessed this is what you did after school. “You know, maybe we shouldn’t bother her...she’s obviously busy.” He starts

“You’re already here, so just get on with it.” Your voice rings out as you look over your shoulder, still kneeling. One of your headphones is still clipped onto your blazer and you’re looking at him with vague amusement. “Plus, I still need to talk to you.” You wipe your hands on your stockings and stand up, stretching your limbs as you do so. 

“So? You wanna go first?”

Ren winces, “It’s...not really important.” He tugs at his bangs, curling the strands around his fingers. He can hear Morgana whisper angrily at him, but it’s not like he’s had time to practice what he’s going to say to you. Plus in all honesty, what you have to say might resolve this whole thing. “You go first.”

You shrug. “Your call, Leader.” Ignoring the way Ren shivers at the name, you make your way towards where your bag is sitting and rummage through it. It takes you a moment to get it out but when you do…

Ren frantically steps back as a coat is thrown at his face. He barely manages to catch it but still winces and the fabric slaps him in the face. “What the-”

“It’s your coat. I washed it and everything.” You explain, moving to lean up against one of the tables littering the roof, “Thought I’d give it back.” 

He lowers his arms, “I wasn’t expecting you to give it back.” It’s not like he needed the coat or anything, he’s pretty used to cold weather. Plus it seemed like you needed it more than him. “Seriously, I thought you’d keep it for a few days. It’s not getting warmer for a few days now.”

You raise a brow, amused. “You expected me to keep it?” You sound like you don’t believe him, as if it’s far-fetched. All he did was lend his coat to you? It’s not a hard thing to wrap one’s head around. 

“Yeah?” He says, wincing when your expression falls into something more neutral. You look almost...disappointed? He can’t help but wonder what’s going through your head right now. The roof-top is drenched in silence, and he barely takes notice of Morgana’s exit. He’s probably feeling uncomfortable with this whole thing. 

“You’re making this harder than it needs to be, Amamiya.” You utter solemnly, closing your eyes and leaning back on the table. “Just accept the coat.”

What….?

“It’s just a coat- seriously, I won’t even notice it’s gone-” Ren tries to explain even though he has zero clue about what’s going on. Why are you suddenly angry about a coat? Sure, you probably have some of your own but he’s just looking out for you. 

“Stop being stubborn and take your coat.”

He laughs incredulously. Him? Being stubborn? You’re the one that can’t accept he just wants you to be warm. This doesn’t need to be as big of a deal as you’re making it. “Tell me why I should.”

Opening your eyes, your eyes flicker towards him before wincing. “It’s-” You sigh, a hand reaching up to tug at your bangs, “It’s not about the coat. I don’t even care about the coat.” You explain, sounding tired. 

“Then why…” Ren starts, trailing off in his own confusion. You seemed huffy last night but you still accepted his coat, so what’s different now? Do you really just hate his coat this much?

Your face morphs into something resembling confliction. You look annoyed with both him and yourself, in all honesty. “You can’t pick and choose, Amamiya. You can’t tell me I’m practically useless and then act like a good samaritan.” Scowling, you begin to fiddle with your MP3 player. “I’ll help your group either way but please, pick one and stick to it.” 

Maybe now is the best time to apologise. “Arisato…” 

Scoffing, you glare over at him. “So? What will you pick?”

He knows what he needs to say. All he has to do is explain this weird feeling he has around you- that he was just looking out for you. It might sound weird but this whole persona situation is already weird- you’d understand right? 

...But how could he say that? How could he say straight to your face that he feels drawn to you? You’d be disgusted, probably. Maybe you’d even reconsider joining the team because the leader is an absolute freak. He doesn’t know how he could ever convince you when he can’t even believe it himself.   
So...he stays silent, like the coward he is. Isn’t it funny that he can confront grown men and shadows alike but can’t even begin to clear things up with you?

You stare at him, disappointment clear on your face. “I...see.” You don’t really know what you were expecting, in all honesty. You think a part of you did want Ren to apologise but it seems he’s sticking to his guns. How disappointing- you almost expected more from him. 

But this seems to be what he’s chosen, and who are you to argue against your ‘leader’? 

“Arisato, I-”

“Oh, am I interrupting something?” A quiet voice interrupts and you suddenly notice the figure standing behind Ren. She looks rather sheepish, holding a blob of black fur in her arms. “I saw this little guy sneaking around the entrance and heard you two talking…”

Ren spins around and blanches. The sight of Morgana purring in this stranger’s arms is rather concerning. How did the cat even let himself get found out? Apparently his face matches what he’s thinking, because the stranger giggles to herself. 

“Don’t worry, I won’t tell anybody about your little friend. I think it’s rather cute that he follows you to school!” She sends a smile your way and lets Morgana jump out of her arms. He quickly saunters your way, curling himself around one of your legs. He peers up at you questioningly and you can’t help but smile. Is he...comforting you? What a weird cat. 

“You weren’t interrupting anything, Okumura, we were just talking.” You explain, moving to scratch under Morgana’s chin, much to his delight. She doesn’t seem so convinced, but you don’t really need her worrying about you right now. She’s got enough to worry about already, in your opinion. 

Ren’s gaze flickers between the girl and you before sighing. “You’ve got club on now, right? I should probably get going.” He clutches his bag tighter, hoping he doesn’t sound as pathetic as he feels. Even if he proved Morgana wrong...it still feels shitty. 

“Yeah,” You murmur, not looking his way, “You probably should.” 

* * *

Later that night it’s decided that you’ll be meeting up at the Shibuya accessway to finally enter Madarame’s heart as a group. Apparently the original four thieves had already explored a fair amount of the ‘palace’, though they were unsure how much of it was left. According to Morgana (who was speaking through Ren) they mostly relied on maps found lying around each palace, and the one for Madarame’s museum had yet to be completed. 

Though, Morgana had estimated that it shouldn’t take too long to infiltrate. Ann had chastised him when he said they’d definitely get it done way before the deadline, but you liked how sure he seemed of the team. You got ‘mentor’ vibes from the cat, especially considering you now knew he originally resided in the Metaverse before following the thieves into the real world. 

That brings you to now, where you’re resting against the rail of the accessway, murmuring quietly to Yusuke as you wait for everyone else to arrive. Ren and Ryuji had gone to buy more supplies while Ann apparently was grabbing a smoothie before the infiltration. She said it was full of healthy nutrients- maybe it made her fight better? Who knows what the Metaverse is capable of. 

A few minutes later you spot the three walking towards you, the two boys hauling very suspicious looking bags while Ann skips your way with two smoothies in her hands. Morgana, having stayed with the two of you, quickly moves to greet his ‘lady’. 

“Yo!” Ryuji raises a hand, his beaming grin almost blinding you, “Sorry to keepcha waitin’!” He practically bounds towards you, smacking a hand on your shoulder in greeting. It’s a very Ryuji-like thing to do, and you can’t help but smile. You don’t question why he suddenly tugs his hand away, looking suspiciously shy. Maybe he thought you were uncomfortable? Your smiles do tend to look like winces after all…

It’s Ann who comes up next, passing you her second smoothie with a grin that matches the other blonde. “(Y/N)-chan! I got you a drink!” She beams, watching closely as you inspect the smoothie. 

“Do you want me to praise you like a dog?” You ask before you take a hesitant sip. Too busy trying to figure out the flavour of the smoothie, you don’t notice the way Ann’s cheeks go bright red and how she stutters for a few seconds. “...Strawberry? I like it.” 

From the side, Yusuke watches these interactions, unamused. The two blondes are both...awfully open with their affections, especially towards someone they don’t know very well. Though, given by the way Ann tugs at Ryuji’s cheeks and chastises him for being so obvious, he wouldn’t be surprised if this is how they normally act. In any other circumstances he’d be amused by their antics- while not exactly applicable given the most likely nature of the two’s feelings, it was always entertaining to observe what desire does to a person- but with you involved, it feels uncomfortable. You don’t seem to notice, though you’ve always been oblivious to things like this. 

Though, he is assuming quite a lot. While Ann flirted with you a considerable amount only a few days ago, who knows if it meant anything to her. The same applied to Ryuji- he seemed like the touchy feely type. Maybe he was reading into things. Or maybe it’s like what Ann said- he’s jealous. It’s a ridiculous notion, however. Jealous over what? Two almost strangers being a little too friendly with his best (and only) friend? 

Ha, as if. 

“Now that everybody’s here,” Morgana starts, hopping onto the rails, "We explained the basics to you two the other day- do either of you need any refreshers?” He asks, tail swishing. You and Yusuke make eye contact before both shaking your heads. You have the general gist of things- spooky metaverse, stealing treasures and palaces. Morgana had previously said he’d leave stuff like the ‘final heist’ to when it’d actually happen. Very ominous, you think.

“Good! Ask me if you need anything- are we all ready to go?”

You all nod before the world seems to flicker out for a moment. It’s only a split-second after that you blink into what looks to be a gaudy-looking museum, most likely Madarame’s palace. The other thieves seem used to the whole thing, while you and Yusuke stand uneasily. It’s like a terrible migraine that lasts for only a few seconds- though it’s better than the previous constant migraine you had in here. Thankfully the four let you steady yourselves before getting into business. 

“Oh, right. We haven’t decided on code names for the two of you.” Morgana hums, now in his weird humanoid form. He looks like some sort of mascot, like one a specific department store would have. “Let’s work on Kitagawa’s first.”

Ann is the first to make a suggestion, excited that she finally gets to work on a codename. “It’s gotta be ‘Kitsune’! You know, with that fox-looking mask and all!” Ryuji seems to agree and so do you. It’s a rather fitting codename given his outfit. 

Yusuke seems pensive. “Would ‘Kitsune’ really fit? Something more like….’Da Vinci’, I am an artist after all.”

“Uh, no?” Ryuji scoffs, scuffing his boots against the cement. “You’ve got that mask like Ann said...and that weird tail...You should be ‘Abura-age’!”

You can’t help but snicker. Kitsune-udon? As if that even rolls off the tongue. “If you’re going that way, why not just go with ‘Inari’?” You suggest, tugging at your bangs. 

“Very well.” Yusuke nods to your surprise. He’s just going along with it?!

After Morgana’s loud protest, Ann speaks up again. “Nuh-uh! Not happening!” She turns to Ren with pleading eyes. “Do you have any ideas, Joker?”

He seems to be in thought for a moment and you’re surprised he’s taking this so seriously. You would’ve thought names like Joker, Skull and Panther would’ve come easy to him. A few seconds pass and you’re almost concerned until he nods solemnly, like this was a hard decision to make. “Fox.”

“I see ya!” Ryuji nods eagerly, “Keeping it literal! Plus we’ve all got English names, why change it now?” 

It seems like everyone is in agreement, including Yusuke. “Well, it’s settled! Now it’s Arisato-hime’s turn!” The group all turn to you, looking you over. Your metaverse outfit is a mix of many different things, which should honestly clash but it doesn’t for some reason. The main outfit looks like some sort of [victorian-era pirate,](https://i.imgur.com/amG4J7q.jpg) with a large black coat with gold and red accents and a ruffled blouse that are tucked into tight black pants. A belt holding satchels hangs around your waist, and your pants are tucked into tall thigh-high black boots with the same gold and red accents as your coat. It’s your mask that really confuses the outfit. It’s a small-looking [plague mask](https://66.media.tumblr.com/f199db52a066733c0d5caab87bc17a1d/tumblr_oy067sm5OT1r7q5gco2_500.gifv), one that doesn’t even cover your mouth. 

All in all, you look like a plague doctor pirate. A weird mix of aesthetics, but it’s got the whole victorian-era vibe going on. 

“Gonna be honest, I have no clue.” Ryuji laments after looking you over, “S’not like ‘Pirate’ is a good codename.” It really isn’t- did these guys have zero creativity? 

Ann taps her lip in thought. “Uh, maybe ‘Bard’? Her persona has a lyre, after all.” 

...Are they really missing the obvious name here? You’ve barely seen yourself fully in this outfit and even you know what the best name is for yourself. Maybe you’ll let them guess for a little while longer. Just out of spite. 

“How about ‘Crow’?” Yusuke suggests, only to be immediately shot down by your unamused look. 

“Come on? ‘Crow’? Do I look like a bird or something?” You sigh, deciding to take matters into your own hands. “Just call me ‘Plague’, okay?”

The Phantom Thieves all ‘ohhhh’ at once, much to your displeasure. “Yeah that’s...kinda embarrassing to not notice.” Ryuji grins sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. Everyone else looks different shades of sheepish, too. 

“So it’s settled? Fox and Plague?” Ren speaks up- you almost forgot he was here. It’s not like you’ve been ignoring him or anything, just...okay, you kinda have been ignoring him but it’s still awkward around him after what happened yesterday. You and Yusuke nod in unison. 

“By the way, we should have Joker decide who our starting lineup is from here on out. Now that Fox and Plague have joined us, it’ll be harder to move around as a group.” Morgana brings up, “We’ll stand out more, too. Considering how we’ve operated to this point, we should have four starters. Anyone else can be backup.” 

Yusuke hums, mostly to himself. “And what should the backup do? Would it be best for them to stay outside of the palace?” He asks curiously, shifting his balance. Morgana thinks to himself for a moment before speaking up again. 

“No, they should come in as well, but maintain a reasonable distance from the main group. In other words, the starting lineup is the first wave of our infiltration force.” He explains before turning to Ren, “We’ll leave the team composition to you, Joker.”

Everyone seems to look at him, eagerly awaiting who’ll be on the front lines. At the very least, two people will be on backup duty which isn’t too bad. “We should probably let the newbies have a turn.” Ren says, grinning. You hadn’t noticed before but he seems more...suave in the Metaverse. “So- Plague, Fox and Panther, you’re with me. I trust the remaining two will play nice for now?”

Ryuji and Morgana begin to argue about their positions but you can’t think of anything but ‘oh fuck’. You knew you’d have to follow Ren’s directions at some point, considering he was the leader here, but you’re not sure how well it’s going to go when all you want to do is punch him repeatedly for being such an asshole. 

From the corner of your eye you see Ren giving you a smirk, before heading into the palace.

Shit.


	10. high school run-ins

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> vague persona 5 spoilers in the first section, skip to the first line break/'peering over at her friend' to avoid. general gist is that takuto stumbles across arisato and spots her wounds from the metaverse and patches her up

The next few days pass fairly quickly and are filled with various excursions to the palace, trips to convenience stores to stock up on medicine and bandages (the workers must think you’ve got a meth lab or something) and worst of all; Takuto and Kasumi blowing up your phone. You haven’t really seen the two recently due to your new schedule, since often Kasumi would try to catch up with you after school and Takuto’s ‘therapy’ sessions were little more than him wanting to ask how your day has gone, but with your current focus on changing Madarame’s heart you haven’t had the time. 

It’s a little refreshing to get a break from the duo, in all honesty. Sure, it’s been oddly comforting that at least two people seek you out of their own volition but _jesus christ_ did they need to calm down about it. Kasumi was at least endearing in how she treated you like some amazing upperclassmen but paired with Takuto, the two became a nightmare to deal with. 

This week without their presence lulls you into a false sense of security, which is quickly broken when you exit the rooftop on a warm spring afternoon and run into the school’s therapist-in-training and heartthrob himself. 

And trust me, you _run_ into him.

“Arisato-chan?!” The man exclaims as you practically headbutt into his chest due to your height difference and before you can recoil back, he grabs ahold of your arm. You think it’s to keep you balanced but you end up crashing into his chest in a mimicry of a shitty scene from some shoujo anime. You’re glad that the school is empty around late afternoon because the scene you’re in is very, very uncomfortable. 

After making sure you’re fine, Takuto lets go of you with a sheepish smile. There’s a gleam in his eyes that makes you think he’s happy to see you and you wonder if he’s at school so late for a specific reason. Maybe his sessions ran late but…

You shake your head. It’s not like it matters, anyways. Running into Takuto was bound to happen at some point, might as well get it over with now. Considering your schedule is free until the next planned Metaverse excursion (apparently despite how close you were to securing the treasure route, Ren wanted everyone to ‘take a break’) it might work in your favour to speak with the counsellor. “You’re here rather late.”

The brunette chuckles, a hand patting at your shoulder. “I could say the same to you! Working hard in the garden, I assume?” His bright smile is obnoxious, and you quickly look away in fear of being blinded. You don’t know how anyone could be this peppy after a long work day, especially after working with bratty teenagers. 

You scratch at your arm, lips in a tight line. You’ve dealt with excitable people, like Ann and Ryuji, but with Takuto (and by extension Kasumi) it always feels...weird. Maybe it’s you making an issue out of nothing, but it’s hard to be ‘yourself’ around them. “Not really. Okumura did most of the work today.” You explain, shoving your hands into your pockets. Thankfully, you’re not the most talkative person in the first place, so it’s easy to play it off. 

Takuto shifts his weight, peering at you. He looks like he’s about to say something but he stops, narrowing his eyes at your legs. For a second you think he’s being an actual fucking creep but then you remember-

Due to summer soon arriving, you had forgone stockings today. While normally it wouldn’t have been an issue, with your frequent adventures in the Metaverse you had quite the collection of bruises and cuts that the healers of your group had missed. You hadn’t really taken note of them, besides having patched up the worst of them as to not worry Yu, but apparently Takuto wasn’t as blind as your roommate. 

Shifting uncomfortable, you avoid his gaze. “Don’t look at me like that. It’s from gardening club.” You lie and scuff your shoe against the flooring, hoping he’ll believe you. The bruises are fresh enough to be believable but given Takuto’s occupation, you’re a little worried he might start making assumptions about your home life. Especially given your status as an orphan.

Takuto gives you a look like he doesn’t believe you at all, but drops it once he realises you must be feeling uncomfortable beneath his probing stare. Sighing, he gives you his warmest smile despite the worry building up in his chest. He’s known you for about a month, give or take, though he’s grown used to how you usually act. From what he’s observed, it isn’t unusual for you to practically drop off the face of the earth but for a whole week? 

He’s got a sneaking suspicion it has something to do with the second years you’ve been spending time with recently. Besides the encounter on the rooftop a few weeks ago he’s run into them on a few occasions, much to their distaste. They’re smart kids, wary of Takuto unlike any other student in the school, and it intrigues him. But they never seemed like people you’d spend time around, especially not voluntarily. 

And paired with what he saw after exiting Shujin for the first time after speaking about his internship, he can’t help but worry that you’ve gotten yourself into something you’d never be able to understand. 

“Let me patch you up, at the very least.” He offers while scratching the back of his neck sheepishly, “Take it as an apology for nearly knocking you down.” In reality, the sight of your bruised legs makes something inside him ache, like vines twisting around his heart. If he closes his eyes, it’s almost like he’s there again-

A cry, the screeching of tires and an umbrella falling at his feet. 

He shakes his head, ridding himself of those thoughts. It’s been awhile since he’s thought about that day but it’s hard not to when it comes to you. Sometimes he can ever see her in your eyes, that lonely girl who just wanted to be free. It scares him, it absolutely terrifies him that he might lose another person to this sick world. 

So when you nod, unused to his eagerness as a trainee nurse, he lets the beaming smile on his face fall into something more neutral. 

He won’t let what happened to ȟ̷̩ͅȅ̶̲̯̎͋r̸̼͔̞͉̊ happen to you. He’ll make sure of it. 

* * *

Peering over at her friend, Kasumi plops her ice cream-covered fry into her mouth and ignores the grossed out look he gives her. “You want me to keep an eye on Arisato-senpai?” She inquires after swallowing the fry. Takuto nods in response, picking at his own dinner. He’s thankful Big Bang Burger seems to be empty around this time- it’s a little after most people would usually have dinner and the ‘restaurant’ is only occupied by the two and a few sparse late night fast food junkies. 

“I suppose you could put it like that. More or less, I just want you to make sure she doesn’t get herself into any trouble.” The therapist explains, swirling one of his own fries in the pot of sauce. He points the fry at Kasumi, the red sauce dripping onto a napkin. “You’ve taken notice of all her bruises, right?” 

The red-haired girl shuffles awkwardly, face falling. “I have, but she’s avoiding me…” She sighs quietly. Like Takuto, she hasn’t known you for the longest time but despite your clashing personalities you seemed to put up with Kasumi. But recently you had been completely ignoring her- even leaving her on read! She thought you were getting better about this kind of stuff…

“She’s avoiding everyone. I spoke with Okumura-san earlier, apparently she hasn’t been attending her club the past week.” With a matching sigh, he bites down on the fry. “The only people she hasn’t been ignoring are-”

Kasumi interrupts him, quickly catching onto his train of thought. “Those upperclassmen, right?” She begins before gasping, dropping her burger, “Do you think they’re doing something to her?!”

He chuckles at her enthusiasm but shakes his head. “I can’t share all the details, but I don’t think they’re hurting her. More like...they’re getting themselves into something dangerous.” He clarifies, pushing up his glasses with his free hand (after wiping it off on a napkin, of course). He admits that his reason for wanting Kasumi to look after you is born of his own selfishness, but it’s not like she needs to know that. It’s not like it’d take much to convince her, either- he’s seen how the girl interacts with you. She’s possibly the best person for the job given how quickly she’s become attached to you. 

“I don’t want any of them getting hurt any further. You can help me with that, right?”

The girl averts her eyes for a moment, thinking to herself. If Takuto’s right, that means you might be in actual danger at some point. The thought of you, the only person other than Takuto to ever look past her status as a gymnast, getting hurt further than you already have been...She nods, having made up her mind. 

“Of course.”

Takuto grins to himself when Kasumi looks away. It seems like everything is starting to fall in place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> double update, sorry. if any of you have read the original fic on quotev you might have noticed a few changes, eg the titles. why? because i can. im not very good at coming up with titles if you haven't noticed. 
> 
> stan kasumi and takuto


	11. late night ramen

With a resounding sigh, you slam your naginata on the bright tiles of the museum and wince at the noise. Your limbs are aching, there’s a burn in your lower back and you have to lean on your weapon to even keep standing but there’s also a sense of satisfaction that comes with it all. Who could’ve known fighting off shadows would feel this fun? 

Given the circumstances, you probably shouldn’t be enjoying this so much. If you failed, Madarame would probably sue the shit out of you and Ann but it’s easy enough to ignore the looming deadline when ripping apart a shadow with a well timed Egi skill or with the fell swoop of your blade. 

And despite the growing fatigue of the team, it seems like they share your enthusiasm of the heist. Having been on the front lines with you, Ryuji sends you a satisfied, but weary grin from beneath his skull mask. His situation is similar to yours, relying on his weapon to keep him standing. Though you notice that he makes sure not to put weight on one of his legs but you assume it’d be rude to ask. 

“Bro, that move you did? The one where you jumped up and stabbed that super tall shadow in the eye?” Ryuji starts, excitement taking over his visage as he approaches you. “It was effin’ awesome! You gotta teach me how to jump that high!” 

Scratching at the back of your neck, you avert your eyes from him. It’s like looking at the sun when it comes to him, but his passion has slowly begun to grow on you recently. Maybe it’s because he’s so genuine whenever he speaks, like he really cares about what he’s talking about, or maybe because you can’t be bothered getting annoyed every time he speaks anymore. Probably the second one. 

WIth your other hand, you fiddle with the beads hanging off your naginata. “I did it in the heat of the moment.” You explain, still not used to his compliments, “I’d say it’s because of my persona. It’s not like any of us are this graceful in real life.” 

From beside you, Ren’s chuckles reach your eyes. You hadn’t noticed him walking your way, but you manage not to flinch at his closeness. It’s fucking freaky how sneaky he can be in the Metaverse, but what else could you expect from the leader of the Phantom Thieves? “Speak for yourself, Plague.” He smirks, patting you on the shoulder. This time you almost puff up like a bird with its feathers ruffled at the contact. “I used to take ballet.”

You and Ryuji both stare at him. You can’t imagine this suave asshole of a phantom thief doing pointe and pirouettes, no matter how hard you try. But it’s easy enough to imagine Ren being a ballet dancer- he seems like the type to be into ballet and gymnastics. And now that you think of it, the way he fights reminds you of a dancer. 

Ryuji looks more conflicted before his face settles into a neutral expression, nodding to himself like he’s had some revelation about life. “You know what? I can see it. Guess there’s shit we don’t know about our leader, huh?” He laughs lightheartedly, obviously not meaning anything with his words.

“Yeah.” You comment blandly, shrugging off Ren’s hand. Not exactly in the mood to deal with Ren right now, you murmur an apology and make your way towards the remaining three Phantom Thieves. You’d rather deal with Morgana and Ann’s antics than suffer in Ren’s draining presence. 

“Dude,” Ryuji starts, eyes flickering between Ren and your departing form, “Ann said you were gonna apologise to her.” There’s an edge of confusion to his words, like he doesn’t understand why there’s still tension between the two of you. It hasn’t affected their teamwork, since you listen to Ren’s orders as if nothing was wrong but it’s pretty clear when it comes to interacting outside of battles. You barely look at the dude, and Ryuji swears he’s never seen you two near each other outside of their hideout and the Metaverse. 

Ren sighs, fiddling with one of his daggers. “ _Panther_ ,” He corrects despite the emptiness of the halls, “And I _tried_ , okay? But I don’t know how to apologise, how do you tell someone you’re sorry for triggering a borderline panic attack?”

“I dunno, maybe start with ‘I’m sorry for triggering a borderline panic attack’?” The blonde offers sarcastically, evidently not going to put up with Ren’s excuses. He kinda likes being a phantom thief, and kinda likes spending time with his friends. What he doesn’t like is when two of his friends refuse to speak to each other. Especially when it can be easily resolved. “Seriously, dude. This is getting annoying to watch.” 

Ren desperately wants to tell Ryuji that he got fed up with this weeks ago, but he doesn’t need the boy to ask him why he keeps dragging this out. He’s annoyed with himself for putting the team through this stupid drama and even more annoyed that he genuinely doesn’t know how to resolve this without telling you that his persona basically has a crush on you. 

Well, that’s blatant hyperbole but it’s not like he has any explanation for Arsene’s erratic behaviour. 

“Just,” Ren pauses, running a hand through his black locks, “drop it, alright? I know you’re just looking out for us but it’s a sensitive subject.”

Wincing, Ryuji lets out a tired chuckle as his eyes stray towards you. There’s a comfortableness in the way you speak to Yusuke and Ann that isn’t there with Ren, and the thought of the giant crack between the team makes him wholly uncomfortable. “I get it, leader.” He scratches at his head, nails dragging through his bleached hair, “Won’t push it any further. Jus’ don’t come runnin’ when Plague decides she’s sick of this shit.” 

And with that, Ryuji follows after you, leaving Ren all alone with another crack forming within the Phantom Thieves. 

* * *

The first time Ryuji ever saw you was on your first day of school, around late September. The news of a new transfer student so late into the year had been the talk of the school, and Ryuji could barely go through a lesson without hearing about it. It hadn’t really interested him, but it meant that people had finally stopped talking about what happened between him, the track team and Kamoshida. 

So Ryuji, still nursing his broken femur, was thankful for the respite. A part of him even hoped this new student would be in his class- or at the very least, a first year- so even more attention would be drawn away from him. Maybe his ex-friend Ann would stop glaring at him every five minutes. 

When it was finally revealed that you were a second year and not a first year, it had been a little disappointing but the drama around you had practically made up for it. He didn’t like listening to rumours, having been the focus of many over the last year, but it was impossible to ignore when it came to you. It was pretty petty shit too- at lunch he could hear upperclassmen gossiping about how creepy the new transfer student was and how she was just some boring kid from Inaba. Some had even begun to connect your presence with the Inaba murders from two years, saying that you were probably the culprit and came to Shujin to commit even more crimes.

He wonders if they forgot the culprit was some middle aged cop they arrested around the same time. 

The last few lessons of that day were even worse. He remembers hearing Ann and Shiho speaking about you in quiet tones, talking about how lonely you looked when they passed you in the hall. He had scoffed lowly at that, eyes falling to the paper in front of him. Like they had any right to judge after completely ditching him after his ‘accident’. It almost sours his day, but then he remembers that next to nobody has given him weird looks today and only one person made a scathing remark about his femur. 

Riding the high of not being the school’s punching bag, he leaves school with a barely hidden grin with plans to spent the rest of his afternoon fucking around in the arcade. Maybe even come home early and surprise his Mom by cooking dinner for her tonight.

And then he sees you for the first time. It’s not one of those moments where time stands still and the protagonist falls for the love interest instantly, because this isn’t a love story and he’s definitely not the main character. He just observes you, quietly, as you exit Shujin Academy with slow steps and your bookbag hanging limply at your side. The rumours were right in that you look pretty intimidating, eyes narrowed in an eternal glare and a frown on your lips. But he can see where Ann came from- there’s a sort of loneliness he can sense from you and he can’t help but sympathize. 

He’s about to call out for you, reach out for this stranger he knows nothing about when a grey-haired man strides towards you, bowlcut mussed up by the wind. He can’t make out what he’s saying, but your frown falls into a more neutral expression and you shoulder him out of the way, making your way down the path leading away from the school. It’s the last he sees of you for a while, but whenever he gets a glance of you, he can’t help but remember that look on your face as you stood on the steps of Shujin Academy, all alone. 

Ryuji swears he sees the same look now, as you watch quietly as the Phantom Thieves begin to make their separate ways home. The frown on your lips is almost unnoticeable, and almost the same as your normal expression to anyone not looking close enough. Ryuji wonders to himself whether you still feel lonely within this group and feels his chest tighten. Of course you wouldn’t immediately feel like you were part of the group, this sort of thing has to happen naturally, but Ren’s attitude isn’t helping much. 

So this time, he finally reaches out to you.

“Yo,” He nudges your shoulder, lips upturned in a grin when you look at him with surprise in your eyes, “You hungry?”

And that’s how you end up in one of Ogikubo’s many ramen restaurants, watching as Ryuji practically stuffs his face with noodles and broth. In contrast you just pick at your tonkotsu ramen, the smell of meat bringing you back to afternoons spent at Iwatodai station with your brother and his friends, watching as they all joke around while you try to finish your beef bowl before everyone needed to leave. It’s one of the more happy memories you have of your childhood, even knowing what happened to your brother a few short months after. 

Noticing your mood, Ryuji tries to give you a comforting smile even with the mouthful of ramen still in his mouth. You’re a little worried he’s gonna start talking with his mouth full, but he swallows it before saying anything. “What’s on your mind, ‘sato?” He asks casually, tapping his chopsticks on the edge of the bowl, “I know we ain’t the closest of friends, but all those contemplative looks are startin’ to worry me.” 

You blink up at him, a little surprised that he even noticed how you’ve been feeling recently. Maybe you misjudged him at first, it’s pretty clear to you now that he’s not a delinquent like everyone at school says he is. Right now, he just looks like a guy worried for his friend.

Friend...you like how it sounds. You’ve been working alongside him for a little while now, but you never thought of him and the other thieves as anything but coworkers of sorts. Sure you spent time out with Ann at points, but the way Ryuji is looking at you feels like he genuinely cares further than looking out for an acquaintance. 

You shake your head, unknowingly giving off a weak smile. “Still trying to comprehend this whole situation, I suppose.” You explain, twirling your chopsticks absentmindedly, “I know it's been a few days, but I still can’t wrap my head around there being a whole different world nobody knows about.” It’s not exactly what you’re really worried about, but you don’t want to overshare to Ryuji. Plus there’s too much stuff bothering you in the first place, talking about it all would take hours. 

“Huh, really?” He points his chopsticks at you, a noodle sliding off into the bowl, “You and Kitagawa seem super chill with the whole thing. Or was that a little farce to seem cool?” With a hearty laugh, Ryuji beams at you with mirth in his eyes. 

You fall into quiet banter with the boy almost naturally, letting yourself relax in his presence. It’s a sort of warmness different to what you get with Yusuke but it still makes you feel comfortable, like you can be yourself. You haven’t felt like this around someone that isn’t Yusuke or Yu in a long time and you’re almost...happy. 

The two of you end up staying at the restaurant for longer than expected, and when you walk out you’re greeted by a rapidly darkening sky. Thankfully it isn’t as cold tonight due to the approaching season change, but you still pull your coat tight against you. Ryuji just laughs sheepishly at the sight, pulling his own blazer closer, probably regretting only wearing a graphic tee beneath. 

“Sorry for keepin’ ya so long,” It’s not really an apology because he doesn’t look sorry at all, grinning wide, “You need me to walk you home?”

You shift at his offer, knowing that if Yu saw you coming home late with a boy he’d absolutely freak. “Just to the station? I live near Chiyoda.” You wonder if it’s a good idea to tell him where you live but it’s _Ryuji_ \- poor dude could barely hurt a fly even if he wanted. Plus you don’t particularly want to walk around the city alone at night, even if you’ll end up asking Yu to pick you up from the station later. 

His smile grows, wrapping at arm around your shoulder. “Yo, we catch the same train! I get off at Ueno station, though, but I can ride with you until you get off!” He beams, and weirdly enough it’s oddly comforting to know he’ll be by your side. You can hold your own, obviously (Yu made sure you took self-defense lessons when you moved in with him) but you’d rather have Ryuji scare everyone off than actually have to fight after a round in the Metaverse.

"Thanks...Ryuji." You say simply and start walking, ignoring the wide eyed boy as he rushes to keep up with you. You can't just hit him with his first name, and especially not after opening up to him like you did tonight! With flushed cheeks, he swears that he'll get you back for this one day. 

But for now, it's his mission to get you home safely. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> man rens kinda an asshole isn't he? back to madarame's palace after this chapter


	12. museum heists

There’s no words to explain how overwhelmingly thankful you are that you finally escaped that hell hole of golden stairs and paintings. Not only were you starting to get a headache from the whole experience, you could tell Yusuke was beginning to feel uncomfortable looking at so many bootleg versions of his sensei’s greatest work. While exploring the area you had found yourself gravitating towards your best friend, hoping that your presence could at the very least comfort him. 

Now the group finds themselves standing in an area that’s similar to the sitting room at the front of the museum, with a hallway leading into a separate room containing a laser-guarded stage and the man of the hour, Madarame’s shadow. Every time you see the guy you can’t help but wince- gold is absolutely not a good look on him. 

“Just as I expected...Madarame!” Yusuke whispers, on guard at the sight of his ex-father figure. This isn’t your first encounter with the shadow since both your awakenings, but you don’t think Yusuke’s ever gotten used to it. 

Ann questions whether the painter is guarding the treasure and at Ryuji’s suggestion, the six of you begin to quietly shuffle over towards the doorway and peek your heads out. You don’t know what the treasure’s supposed to look like, but from here it looks like a floating ball of light. It’s similar to what Morgana had described when walking you and Yusuke through the concepts of palaces, but you had assumed it looked less...foggy than this.

“Doesn’t it look a bit hazy?” Ann voices your concerns, a hand resting on the wall as she peers into the other room. You can hear Morgana meow thoughtfully, but your attention is still on the floating orb. It’s odd to think that it’s a manifestation of Madarame’s distorted desires, but everything about this situation is fucking crazy. 

Morgana is the first to pull back from the wall, situating himself to explain the situation. “For the time being, it hasn’t been fully realised. Once we send the card and make Madarame aware it’ll be stolen, it’ll materialise like ‘Yoohoo!’” The cat explains, posing cutely with his last word. The group just stares at him until he shuffles away, embarrassed by his outburst. 

Yusuke hums to himself, bringing a hand up to his chin. “I wonder what form it will take…”

“Knowing him, it’ll be a self-portrait.” You grumble, not bothering to hide your distaste for the painter any longer. Yusuke gives you a glance, frowning, but doesn’t say anything in response. 

Thankfully, Ryuji breaks the tension as per usual. “So, what now? Think it’s safe to say we got our route set?” With a questioning glance at Morgana (who’s become the thieves unofficial leader when it comes to heists), the blonde asks what everyone’s been thinking. It’s been a long week and you really just want this whole thing to be over. The others have the upperground because this is their second go around, but it’s easy to tell that you and Yusuke are still getting used to everything. 

“Hmm..we know where the treasure is, but I’m not sure that we’ve necessarily secured the route.” Morgana muses in answer, and you feel yourself nearly shriveling on the spot. Seriously? If you spend another second here, you might just scream. 

Yusuke gives a thoughtful look. “Because of the infrared lasers surrounding the treasure?” 

The humanoid cat nods, looking a little proud at the new recruit. “That, and the outer perimeter is swarming with guards. Forcing our way through will be difficult.”

“We should check the rest of the floor.” Ren offers, having been silent for most of the conversation. For a leader he’s awfully quiet, more than happy to let the rest of the group do the thinking. Not in the mood to argue, you all split up to investigate the floor. You tag along with Yusuke, shuffling through the papers on an office desk while he tries to figure out if there’s some secret entrance leading from the office into the large room next to it. 

“You think this is Madarame’s office?” You ask, mostly to make conversation. There’s been an awkward sort of air between the two of you every time you’re in the palace, and you doubt Yusuke’s ever going to address it. You think it might be because this Madarame situation could’ve been avoided if he just listened to you earlier, but he should know that you don’t hold it against him, right? He didn’t mean to push you away, after all who would listen to someone trying to badmouth their guardian? 

The blue-haired boy shrugs, dragging a hand along the gaudy wallpaper of the room. “No...It would be bigger.” You’re not sure whether he’s being serious or not, “There’s a distinct lack of golden statues, as well.”

You stare at him before cracking an amused smile beneath your mask. “You think he has one of those in real life?” You query, a playful tone in your usually flat voice. It feels nice, being able to joke around with Yusuke like this again. 

Yusuke eyes you, a little surprised that you’re not being all stoic and edgy as usual. You’re still like that most of the time, but at points he can see how comfortable you’ve grown around him within the last few weeks. There’s a warmness in his chest that he doesn’t understand, but he can’t say that he doesn’t like it. He’s about to reply when Ryuji’s voice faintly calls out for everyone, and the two of you quickly hurry out of the room. 

At the other end of the hallway, Ryuji’s head sticks out of the doorway with a beaming grin. “Yo! We found a control room!”

When the two of you enter, it’s obvious that the rest of the thieves have been fiddling with the controls when the lights suddenly shut off, the room falling into darkness. Next to you, Yusuke latches onto your arm in surprise and you try not to jump yourself. Alongside your reactions is Madarame’s voice faintly asking why the fuck the lights are off and a shadow seeming just as confused. 

The lights come back on almost instantly, Yusuke letting go of your arm with a sheepish look. Everyone else barely spares you a glance, more caught up in the lights situation. “Tch, it came back on pretty damn fast..” Ryuji complains, scuffing his shoe on the tiles. 

Ren taps at his chin, bangs falling in front of his mask. “The infrared lasers stayed on, too. So we’ll only be able to turn off the power in there for a few seconds, it seems.” He theorises, before looking over at the hallway connecting the rooms. “We should open the shutters, those guards are probably looking for us.”

With the press of a button, the shutters back in the main room begin to creak open and you somehow manage to avoid the guards with some well-placed sneaking. Thank god, because you’re still recuperating from those upside down stairs. 

The winding room that lays ahead of you isn’t any better, and it’s almost impossible to avoid the shadows within the hallway. Orpheus rests at your shoulders as you swipe at a Pixie and desperately hope that someone takes down the Shiki-Ouji before it decides to beat your phys-affinity ass. You can’t help but wonder why Ren put you on the front lines in a room full of phys-blocking enemies, but you think it might just be part of his plan to make you hate him even more. 

Stumbling across another control room feels like a god-send, and you plant yourself on a table while everyone else begins to investigate the room. You’d almost feel shitty for being the only one exhausted, but Yusuke soon takes a seat next to you with a lethargic smile. Having been on the front lines for most of this excursion has really taken its toll on the two of you. 

“This another security room?” Ryuji prods at one of the various computers in the room, wincing when Ann swipes at him for ‘touching things without thinking’. Your leader sends them a withering stare before going back to his own little investigation. 

“No, it is most likely where all the mechanisms in the exhibition hall are controlled from.” Yusuke theorises, rolling back a shoulder with a wince, “Given the number of hanging works, it would make sense to have a room dedicated to controlling them.”

Ann gapes, scratching at her neck sheepishly. “The observational skills of an artist are out of this world…”

The group takes a few moments to finish up looking around the room before Ren, Ann and Morgana begin to shimmy over the overhead stage above the treasure. The rest of you stay within the room, not willing to risk unbalancing the planks. 

“Oh!” Ann beams, peering down. “There aren’t any lasers above the treasure!” It’s a good observation, and she sends you a little thumbs-up when you catch her gaze. 

“Pretty shitty security, huh? Sounds like Madarame.” You snicker, rolling your eyes when Yusuke elbows you in the side. “How are we gonna get down there, though?”

Apparently nobody has thought about that, as you all give each other conflicted looks. Good to know that the Phantom Thieves are filled with actual brainless idiots. Including you at this point. It’s not the answer your co-leader wants, as Morgana gives the loudest and most annoyed sigh you’ve ever heard. 

“There’s a crane with a hook above us. If we can find the controls, we can probably lower it.” 

The controls end up being in the previous room, and to nobody’s surprise, Ryuji immediately yanks down the level without thinking. Ann immediately grabs onto his arm, trying to push it back up. “Stop! They’ll notice if you keep going with that! Bring it back up, quickly!”

After that...debacle, the group begins to discuss how they’re going to use the hook to actually get the treasure. It’s Ren's suggestion of using the shutdown switch earlier that makes the whole plan clear to you. By using the darkness, you could lower the hook without anybody noticing and grab the treasure. Obviously someone would have to work each control while someone would be lowered down, so basically it would be a team effort. 

Weirdly enough, this is what finally cements the fact that the thieves are an actual team in your head. Working together as a group...is this what friendship is? 

“All right, it’s settled! Our infiltration route is secured!”

* * *

**panther**

all we have to do now is send the calling card to madarame. 

**skull**

all right, its finally time!! all we gotta do is decide when were gonna do it

yo, @ everyone

come online

**fox**

You could just text us normally. 

Some of us are busy.

**plague**

hes just mad that you interrupted our meal

**skull**

YOU TWO R EATING TOGETHER???

AND U DIDNT INVITE ME???

**panther**

some people dont like eating ramen for every meal, ryuji

**fox**

Yes, (Y/N) and I decided to dine out.

A celebration of sorts, for securing the treasure route.

**panther**

its not like we’ve actually taken the treasure kitagawa…

**plague**

any excuse to get me to pay for his food, he’ll take

anyways, are you planning to send the calling card now? 

**panther**

yep

we’re at leblanc rn, rens doing smth downstairs so he isnt able to come online

morganas here though! he says hello, (y/n)

**plague**

oh

hi, mona

**skull**

bro i think u gave the little freak an ego boost

*slams gavel* jail

**panther**

ignore them

kitagawa, what do you think about this?

the calling card that is. not morgana being freaky

**fox**

I have thought about this carefully, and I cannot think of a future in which he does not pay his dues. He has preyed not only on the art world, but on countless talents..

So yes, I think we should send the calling card

**skull**

alright! kitagawa’s on board, wbu (n/n)?

**plague**

me?

**panther**

yeah?

you’re kitagawa’s best friend, and you have a personal stake in this

we aren’t gonna do this without your consent

**plague**

oh

um, thank you

i don’t want to repeat what yusuke said, but i want to go ahead with this. madarame has done enough harm to us and many others

if i can stop this from ever happening again, i will. 

**fox**

(Y/N)...

**panther**

you guys still remember the basics of calling cards, right?

about the change in cognition and all that

**plague**

yeah. its why we needed to unlock that door, right? to make madarame aware of us

its the same for the calling card

**ryuji**

so we gotta make a calling card to make the bastard know that we’re gonna steal his treasure

**joker**

andnd thene it will manifest!

and then we go yoinkhk and steal it!

778j4cnjkdc49490c0=fdj

**panther**

theres mona

anyways me and ryuji were talking, and we think you should design the calling card, Kitagawa

**fox**

Me?

I’m afraid Madarame knows my drawing styles all too well. He would know it’s me right away.

**skull**

uhhhhhhhhh

ok, how abt i’ll think everything up and then you make it cooler!!

**fox**

That sounds interesting enough.

This calling card shall become proof that the Phantom Thieves do exist.

**panther**

you’re really taking this seriously, huh…

but i suppose its settled!

**skull**

wanna meet up after school? we can prolly design it at leblanc or smth

**fox**

I can come now. Madarame is used to me staying out late.

(Y/N) could tag along, too. 

**panther**

are you sure? you guys were having dinner

**plague**

god please take him away from my wallet

**fox**

She just stole my last sushi off my plate.

(Y/N) is no longer invited. 

* * *

You’re fiddling with your MP3 player, Lotus Juice blasting in your headphones when you spot Yusuke making his way towards the group. Situated in the alley adjacent to the art gallery, you have a pretty clear view of both the gallery and the massive amount of bright red paper cards scattered across the parking lot. 

“Will that do…?” Yusuke ponders when he finally meets up with the five of you, stance unconfident. You don’t blame him after having to speak with his foster father about a calling card sent out for him. You’re pretty proud of him, if anything. 

Ann beams, seemingly as proud as you. “It was perfect! The composition was way cooler too!” She compliments, holding one of the calling cards in her hands. It’s a pretty big step-up from what you remember of the previous calling card, the one sent to Kamoshida. You nod in agreement, shifting your weight. 

“The treasure should appear now, right?” You ask, removing your headphones and attaching them to your blazer. You can still faintly hear the music, however. 

Morgana meows from Ren’s bag, sticking his head out. “Hopefully, it will. Remember that we’ve only got one shot to pull this off.” 

You all go silent for a moment, coming to terms with the situation. It’s easier for the four that have gone through this already, but for you and Yusuke...You’ve had a while to comprehend and digest everything, but you think you’ll only truly understand once you’ve stolen Madarame’s heart. 

Ren breaks the silence, eyes shining. “I’m counting on you all.” 

And with that, you all enter Madarame’s palace for the very last time. 

It’s practically swarming with guards as you make your way through the palace, jumping from saferoom to saferoom. The energy within the palace is much different now and weighs heavily on all of you. The calling card did it’s job evidently, as the inside of Madarame’s head is totally on guard. However, you manage to get to the hallway leading to the treasure room in record time. 

Ren, Morgana and Yusuke head towards the lever room while you split off with the remaining two to lure out any guards near the light control room. There’s no easy way to communicate, so you’ve set up that Yusuke’ll give you a signal for when he’s ready. 

While Ryuji ends up luring away a shadow, you and Ann sneak into the room and await Yusuke’s signal. It’s pretty fucking nervewracking and when Yusuke sends the signal, you and Ann share a glance before switching off the lights. All you can do is wait and hope that the plan works out.

Ann’s hand finds yours in the dark and squeezes it tight, as if trying to comfort you. To your overwhelming joy, you can hear the sound of the crane lowering and the two of you quickly try to navigate your way to the lever room in the dark, meeting up with Ryuji on the way there. 

It feels almost natural when Ryuji’s hand slips into your free one as the three of you practically sprint down the winding hallway. There’s a sort of rush to pulling this whole thing off, and you desperately hope things work out on the other side. It doesn’t take long to reach the lever room and the three of you are in different stages of fatigue once you arrive.

Ren just looks over you with an amused look in his eyes. “Things worked out on your side?” He asks carefully, moving to help Ann up from her splayed out position on the floor while you lean on Ryuji. The leather of his outfit sticks to you uncomfortably, but it’s better than falling over. 

“Yep!” Ryuji confirms, an arm wrapped around your waist, “Took me ages to get that dude off my trail!” Instead of answering, you and Ann just nod to confirm that things went well for the both of you too. Seriously, you don’t know how these people have the stamina for this sort of shit. 

You all take a moment to catch your breath before reconvening with Morgana, who should still be atop the hanging walkway. Still wary of the weight distribution, you and Yusuke wait while the others meet up with the cat. To everyone’s relief, Morgana ended up being able to grab the treasure within the small time allotted and you can’t help but wrap Yusuke in a hug when everyone else starts celebrating. 

It’s a moment of weakness that you’d only be comfortable showing around Yusuke, which is why you allow him to wrap his arms around you for a moment before pulling back with a piercing look. He smiles back before pretending nothing ever happened when the others call out for the two of you. 

Apparently ignoring the creakiness of the walkway, the six of you navigate your way over the museum and probably alert every shadow in the vicinity due to everyone's heavy steps. Funnily enough, Morgana does all this with the treasure strapped to his head. Eventually you reach a giant square window and without hesitation, Ren leaps through it. 

You almost want to cuss him out for such a stupid move, but it turns out that it leads into some sort of balcony atop the museum that you had originally thought was simple architecture. 

“Woah, this shit’s real high up!” Ryuji swears after dropping through the window, shaking out one of his legs. Heights don’t exactly bother you, but the wind rushing over your face is a little jarring. 

“But at least we’re outside!” Morgana chimes in, heading after Ren. “Is there a way down out here?”

Without answering, Ren decides that he should just jump down _again_ instead of thinking things through. Because he’s your leader, you all follow after him knowing that you could potentially just fall off the side of the building because of his stupidity. You don’t, thankfully, instead landing on another platform with a glowing red door close by. It’s similar to the ones you encountered earlier in the palace, but the colour change is awfully suspicious. 

“Another portal?” You sigh, eyeing your leader. “We gonna go through it?”

Ren seems as tired of this as you, making his way towards the portal with an exhausted gait. “We have no choice.” And with that, he enters the portal. You find it funny that he’s your leader but he never actually tells you anything, just expects you to follow after him. He’s kind of an asshole in the metaverse, in all honesty. 

“Ugh, for real..?” Ryuji complains as the rest of you follow Ren through the probably-unsafe portal. It spits all of you back into the courtyard where you fell into the first time you were in the Metaverse. You wonder why it led back to the courtyard, but you suppose it was a short-cut of sorts? 

Your thoughts are cut off by Morgana’s growing purrs as he unclaps the treasure atop his head and you’re reminded of Ryuji talking about the cat’s extreme reactions to Kamoshida’s treasure at first. 

“No, why’s he getting excited now of all times!?” Ann gasps, eyes flickering around the courtyard in fear of guards. You’re also on guard, because the team is so fucking close to the exit but you’re being forced to stop. 

Morgana places the treasure on the floor, unwrapping it to reveal…

“Hrm..?” You all stare at the painting below you, squinting. It’s one of those faces made out of hiragana characters, Henohenomoheji or whatever...But this can’t possibly be Madarame’s treasure, right?

Catching onto your train of thought, Yusuke gives you a frightened look. “It’s not his treasure-” He’s cut off by two poles rising from the ground, crackling with electricity.

“Get back!” You warn, rolling out of the way as three other poles follow and beams of blue electricity spit out of them. You’re inwardly kicking yourself for allowing yourself to fall for such a stupid trick, swearing beneath your breath when Madarame’s shadow walks into your view with two mooks by his side. 

He scoffs at the sight of you all, painted lips twisting into a sick smile. “Meddlesome vermin. Is this what you’re looking for?” The shadow next to him motions towards the golden frame held under its arm, the glow almost blinding you. It’s likely that it’s Madarame’s real treasure, if anything. 

“You had a fake prepped, huh?” Ryuji gives the man a matching scoff, looking disgusted with the man. You think Madarame’s about to say something, but Yusuke interrupts him with a fervor that almost scares you. 

“What made you change like this!? Is it because you became famous!?” He demands, fists clenching at his sides. It’s obviously something that's been building up and up over the past few weeks, and you’re worried that Yusuke’s gonna burn himself out at this rate. “Can’t you understand how much it pains me to inquire about the crimes of my foster father!?”

Madarame barely acknowledges his foster son’s anger, smirking to himself as he reminisces on why he adopted Yusuke in the first place. “..Now that I think back, the only reason why I took you in was due to my ties with your mother. That woman never lost her passion for painting even after her husband died. Her skills and talents were quite astonishing- that’s why I decided to look after her.”

He directs that smirk at Yusuke next, the expression distorting his face sickenly. “Your mother and the artwork she created- they’re all MY works of art!”

“You’re sick…!” 

He ignores your words as usual, off in his own disgusting fantasy. “I suppose I can grant you a gift before you die- a glimpse of the genuine ‘Sayuri’...!” And with that, the shadow next to him holds out the painting towards you, revealing Madarame’s real treasure. 

The real Sayuri is largely similar to the other mass produced ones, but with one major difference. The woman, ‘Sayuri’, is clutching a baby in her arms and looking down at them with such warmth that it almost makes you miss your own parents. 

“That’s…” Yusuke starts, dropping to his knees in shock, “Mother…?” 

You have vague knowledge of Yusuke’s mother, even vaguer than what the boy himself knows. Apparently she was an artist working under Madarame, who died while her son was still young. The mentor, out of the goodness of his own heart, adopted her now orphaned son and raised him as if his own. 

Evidently, Madarame hadn’t been entirely truthful. 

“This was painted by your mother- a portrait of her, a woman who knew her death was coming. She painted her last wishes, for the son she would leave behind!” Madarame’s voice becomes maniacal, sharp nails beginning to clutch at his face. “That is the truth behind the mystery of Sayuri’s expression!”

By now, your entire group is staring at the man with disgust. But out of everyone, is definitely Ryuji who’s taking this the most personally. “You stole something _that_ personal…!?” He spits, feeling his gut churn uncomfortably. Stealing the painting of a dead woman and her son and taking it for your own...Madarame’s a sick fucking bastard. 

“It was easy to pass it off as my own- and those parasitic critics were none the wiser! The mystery, the allure of her expression...This is what the general public is drawn to!” 

Ann glares at him, hand wrapped tightly around the handle of her whip. “And you call yourself an artist? If you really treasured that painting, you wouldn’t even think about replicating it for profit!” She counters with a ferocity you haven’t ever seen from her before, but you aren’t surprised at her furious passion. 

“Though you have a real treasure, your true skills are nothing more than those scribbles on that fake!” Morgana adds, paws steady on his own blade. Madarame looks over all of you, disgust clear on his visage and you want to punch that look right off him. How can he act like he has the moral high ground in this situation? He’s taken advantage of a dead woman and her orphan son, practically made them both his money making machines. It’s fucking abhorrent and you wish you did more to open Yusuke’s eyes to the evil fermenting within his foster father. 

There’s nothing you can do but reach for your best friend and hope he doesn’t hold this against you. 

Madarame purses his red lips at you all, eyes narrowed into pinpoints. “So you’ll defy me no matter what? Well then, since you’re my art of work, Yusuke, I’m going to reap you for the sake of my future.” He eyes his foster son, a wicked smile growing on his lips before he drags his gaze over to you.You feel like a wounded animal beneath his eyes and you barely notice Yusuke moving to shield you from his look. “Along with those insolent friends of yours there.”

“You repulsive freak!” You spit, feeling yourself start to lose your composure, much to everybody’s shock, “Treating ‘Sayuri’ and Yusuke like they’re objects...You’re inhuman!” 

Next to you, Yusuke freezes up. The look on his face isn't gone, however; if anything it’s grown in ferocity. You’d imagine hearing about your own mother like this would be hard, especially from the man you once saw as a father figure. “I’ve heard that you destroy your ‘art’ once they outlive their usefulness...Did that include my mother as well?”

Madarame doesn’t seem too surprised that Yusuke brings up the death of his mother, even looking amused by the change in topic. Something disgusting begins to churn within your stomach at his pleased grin. “She just so happened to have a seizure in front of me.” He explains casually, as if he didn’t just drop a massive bombshell, “That’s when a thought crossed my mind- If I don’t call for help and leave her be, I bet I could obtain her painting without any strings attached!”

You can faintly hear Ann lean over and gag into a nearby bush, but the ringing in your ears is too strong for you to actually process anything that’s happening around you. The hand clutching your own squeezes tight before hanging limp, and you want to scream. 

Madarame...left Yusuke’s mother to die?

“That’s-!” Ann coughs out, having fallen to her knees from shock. The painter barely spares her a glance, looking pleased with himself. How far gone is the real Madarame for him to do this? Was he always such a terrible person, or did something push him over the edge?

Trying to work out his motivations almost makes you sick. 

“She was physically weak; no one would doubt if she dropped dead because of a seizure.” He clarifies, stepping closer towards your group, “Above all, Yusuke, didn’t you think it was odd that I discovered your talent when you were only three? The reason I kept you around so long was because I knew you’d take after your mother.”

“You-” Yusuke swallows tightly, voice oddly absent, “You killed my mother…?” It’s like he’s a hollow shell of himself and all you can do is look as he falls to his knees in grief. How could this fucking monster do this? 

Madarame’s look of disinterest falls into a look of disgust at the sight of his foster son on his knees. “I never thought you’d eventually overtake your mother in terms of artistic talents, but stealing the future of brats who won’t talk back is much easier than adults. It’s thanks to you that I came up with the idea- you have my gratitude.” 

The courtyard is silent save for the sound of heavy breathing as you take in all this information. Is this what the Phantom Thieves have to rise up against? These sick and fucking twisted adults who use the people around them for their personal gain? Absently, you wonder if Kamoshida’s shadow was as disgusting as Madarame’s. 

Nobody speaks up and Madarame has a look on his face, like he’s won, when a chuckle breaks everyone out of their stupor. It’s Yusuke, who’s struggling to stand up as he keeps laughing like he’s finally lost it.

“I thank you, Madarame…!” He chokes out, looking as feral as you remember him looking during his awakening, “Every reason for me to forgive you has disappeared without a very trace at this moment! You aren’t some rotten artist...you’re a despicable fiend who wears the skin of the man I once called ‘Father’!”

This is what causes Madarame to finally go over the edge, nails digging into his face even deeper. “All you good-for-nothings! Barging into my museum and doing whatever the hell you want...Those who have the connections make the rules; those who don’t, follow them!” He shrieks, on the verge of psychosis, “Not to mention, the value of art is all subjective! I make the rules in the art scene! I am the supreme being!”

“I am the god of the art world!” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry if i've come off as a little distant in my chapter notes, its been a stressful time for me. anyways heres ch 12, we're close to catching up to the actual fic!! big thank you to everyone whos read, commented and left kudos! it means alot to me and i sincerely hope you're all liking the fic so far!


	13. vanity's destruction

If you thought all the other shadows you’ve fought were creepy looking, the sight of Madarame’s face split into sections of floating paintings absolutely takes the cake. You’ve heard descriptions of Shadow Kamoshida’s appearance, but it’s still absolutely jarring to see. Not to mention uncomfortable, since he’s practically staring down all of you. 

From next to you, Ren seems as visibly uncomfortable as you feel and it almost reassures you. “Plague, Panther, Fox, on the front lines with me! Mona, heal from the back and make sure Skull keeps us buffed!”

Normally you’d question his judgment in keeping Ryuji on the backlines but then you realise that Madarame’s most likely split into multiple targets- you’re almost impressed with Ren. Almost being the keyword, and you try to keep your face neutral as you get into position next to Ann. No need to get your emotions involved here. 

The first few rounds are mostly testing out strategies- figuring out which painting has which specific weakness. It’s easy enough to let off a few egidos, and you silently cheer when one of your attacks causes a painting to tumble to the ground. 

Before you can get excited, the shadow somehow revives the fallen painting. 

“Awe, I thought we had him!” Ann exclaims, setting off a maragi and watching as one of the paintings drains the move. “Ugh, we need to work as a team to get the paintings down at the same time!”

Still on guard, you all look to your leader. He usually isn’t very good with commanding you all directly, preferring to let you all run wild, but this time he needs to take control or else this fight will end in a loss. At your stares, Ren scratches at his neck before nodding. 

“Plague, keep using multi-target attacks. Fox, use whatever physical attacks you have on everything but the mouth. And Panther, use magic on the mouth. We need to attack evenly so he doesn’t have a chance to regenerate!” Ren spits out, readying his own blade and moving to drag his dagger down the right eye of the shadow. Instantly the painting falls down, Ren narrowly jumping out of the way. You immediately run up next to him, swiping upwards at the nose and left eye with your naginata. He sends you a look but you ignore it and jump back so the other thieves can get a hit in. 

You’ve almost got all the paintings down when suddenly one of the paintings jerks back and flings a glob of back paint in your direction, drenching you in the viscous liquid. The force of the attack brings you to your knees, trying to spit out the paint that had gotten into your mouth. 

“Shit- Plague, are you okay?” Joker shouts out, eyes flickering between you, Madarame and Morgana. It looks like he’s trying to stop himself from running to your side, and he takes a step back when Ryuji runs to your side from the backlines. 

Ryuji rubs your back while you try to spit out all the paint, vaguely listening as Morgana tries to work out what the fuck this attack is supposed to be. “Oh no, Plague’s weak to all attacks! Someone take over for her!” The navigator calls out before casting media on your group. It clearly gives the others a little spring in their stance, but you still feel drained from the magic coursing through the paint. 

“Don’t count me out just yet.” You groan out, grabbing Ryuji’s shoulder and pushing yourself up. This is your first serious battle with the team- you don’t wanna sit out just because of some stupid paint. “I’m stronger than I look.”

The blonde boy next to you looks like he’s about to say something, but Ren quickly interrupts him. “You’re weak to all types of magic against an enemy who _only_ uses magic attacks.” Your leader points out, fixing you with a stare. When your gaze falls on him, his eyes soften. “You’ve done amazing, Plague. But we’re a team- we need to work together.”

You want to argue with him, tell him that he’s underestimating you again but the look in his eyes is so genuine that all your words begin to fail you. He looks worried for you- not because you’re weak, but because he needs you at full strength because you’re part of the _team_. 

It’s a surprise to Ren when you nod your head slowly, patting Ryuji on the back as you head towards where Morgana is standing. “Give ‘em hell, Skull.” Your eyes flicker to Ren as you pass him, face unchanging. Hopefully he knows that this doesn’t change anything, just that you aren’t gonna make drama out of nothing. 

“You acquiesced pretty quickly.” Morgana comments absently, motioning for you to bend down so he can look at the paint. “Finally forgiven him?” The feeling of paws on your face is weird and you watch as the humanoid cat begins to scurry around in the supply bag.

“Were you eavesdropping or did our leader gossip about it?” You ask, letting Morgana pat your face down with one of the towels stuffed in the bag.

You lift your mask to let Morgana scrub down any paint that had landed behind it. “He’s been sulking all week- he’s practically begging anyone to ask him about his woes. Hard to not notice.” There's a harsh tone in his voice, but you don’t know whether he’s annoyed with you or Ren. 

A scoff leaves your mouth. “You think I’m enjoying it? He keeps giving me puppy eyes whenever we pass in the halls.” 

“Apologise then.” The cat pulls its paw away, tossing the towel to the floor, “Both of you, that is.” 

You don’t answer, letting your eyes drift to the fight. Some of the paintings had been revived since your swap and your teammates are doing their best to bring them down. It’s amazing seeing them working like this, in such harmony with eachother. Ren dishes out commands and the others follow them without even thinking. It’s almost like they were all brought together for a reason- to fight these abhorrent adults alongside one another.

Morgana follows your line of sight and lets out a sigh. “I see…” He murmurs, scratching at his ear, “Joker doesn’t treat you like he treats the others, does he?”

“You make me sound jealous.” You comment absently, still sitting on your knees. Morgana just eyes you before shaking his head. 

“You’re put off, aren’t you? Why does he pay such attention to you compared to the others? You want to know what’s so special about you, that keeps drawing him to you-”

Before you can reply, the final painting falls to the ground with a resounding slam, the same black paint now leaking out of it. Slowly, Shadow Madarame takes form via the black goo. It’s good timing too, since you can feel the effects of the paint wearing off. 

“Madarame’s out!” Morgana shouts from next to you, attention back on the fight. You move to surround the shadow, but the cat presses on your shoulder before you can stand up. “Wait until it’s safer to reenter, Plague.” 

So you watch as the remaining thieves surround the shadow with their guns drawn. “Dammit… I’m the great Madarame!” The man spits, scratching at his face, “The Madarame who gathers a full crowd every time he opens an exhibit! I’m not someone that worthless brats like you are allowed to defy!”

Yusuke stares at the man from behind his mask, face crinkled in disgust. “Enough of your egotistical ranting! Taste the wrath of all those you’ve preyed upon!” And with that, your four teammates launch an all out attack.

Unfortunately it doesn’t do much, and you watch nervously as Madarame recovers easily. “You brats still can’t fathom my greatness…” The man looks thoughtful, before grinning and throwing out his arms. “You’ll just have to witness it for yourselves! Behold my master craft!” More black goo seeps from the shadow, almost slivering as the puddles begin to take the shape of four multicoloured clones of the man. 

“Wha-!? He made copies of himself!?” Morgana perfectly expresses everyone’s confusion, taking a step forward to make sure he’s in range of the fight. “...Ha, I see. Creating duplicates _is_ his speciality!”

Ren shifts, gripping his dagger. “You got any clues about their weaknesses?” He quickly slashes one of the Madarames, frowning when the physical attack barely does anything. Morgana shakes his head, apologising for the lack of info.

You watch from the backlines alongside Morgana, trying to take in what’s happening. Flashes of magic are coming from your team and every once in a while you can see hits being taken, though Morgana is quick to remedy it. Shifting your weight every few seconds, you can’t help but feel weird. The right answer to this puzzle is on the tip of your tongue, but it’s like something is blocking it…

 _Think back to those art sessions with your friend over there,_ a familiar voice speaks in your head, _Red and blue, yellow and green. What’s the correlation, my dear sister?_

Of course- you were so stupid, the answer was looking at you in the face! You knew there had to be a pattern with the weaknesses and Madarame wouldn’t make it easy. 

“Joker.” You call out, trying not to wince when his eyes fall on you, “What melts ice?”

The man blinks behind his mask, weirded out by your question. “Fire…?” His eyes then widen, and a beaming grin spreads across his face. It’s _gorgeous_. “Fire! Plague, you’re a genius!” His excitement is so genuine that it hurts and it’s so goddamn infectious that the rest of the team begin to bear similar smiles. 

“Plague, Mona, we’ll need the two of you on the front lines. We need to test Plague’s little theory!” 

* * *

“Dammit...Dammit...Stop it you brats, or else…!”

Turns out your little theory was right on the mark- each clone was weak to it’s opposite ailment. Kinda obvious now that you think about it, but in the heat of the moment it felt like you were the smartest bitch on the block. It didn’t take long for your team to take each clone down, with you and Ren specifically targeting the real Shadow Madarame. 

Fox scoffs from next to you, readying his katana. “You think we’ll be daunted by such threats!?”

You eye the boy next to you, holding your naginata in a similar fashion. “This asshole still won’t go down! We need to do something about it.” Talking to your leader now, you let yourself frown. The group has been at this for what seems like hours, and you just want this old dude to die already. 

Ren hums thoughtfully, looking over the courtyard as Ann and Ryuji both try to rain hell on the clones with their guns. And apparently he sees something interesting, because he turns to you and Morgana with a cheeky grin. “We need to turn the tables on him.”

“...!” Morgana looks over at one of the hedges, cans of black paint lying around. “Isn’t that the same thing Madarame’s been using? Let’s try covering him with paint!

So it’s actual paint…? That stuff felt way too gooey to be normal paint, and you don’t even wanna think about what’s in it. “Payback, huh? Sounds good to me.”

Fox gives you a grin, following your train of thought. “Time to bestow the humiliation of being painted over to him…!” You both look at each other, feeling the adrenaline shooting through your veins. There’s something thrilling about fighting your best friend’s shitty father figure alongside him. 

Your leader quickly catches on, because he pats the both of you on the back. “Seems like this is gonna have to be a two person job.”

The two of you grin at him before running into position. There’s cans upon cans of paint everywhere, so you head to opposite sides to make sure you’ll be able to cover every single Madarame present with it. It’s a daunting task, and you can feel your heart beating fast as you duck behind one of the hedges. 

None of the shadows notice your absence due to how large your group was in the first place, and you lay in wait until the best moment to strike. With cans of paint in your hands, you look over at the hedge opposite you. Yusuke’s head pops out, taking in the fight. The clones are mostly taken down, while the main shadow stays standing. If you could get him alongside the other shadows...He’d be weak to all your attacks!

Grabbing your attention, Yusuke raises one of his hands with three fingers up. Second by second he lowers them before he clenches his fist and jumps up, throwing buckets of paint over the shadows on his side. You quickly do the same, and it splashes all up Shadow Madarame’s yukata and onto his face. 

“Wonderful work, Plague!” Ann cheers as you regroup, watching as the clones begin to crumble and deform back into pools of black goo. You almost expect the same to happen to the main shadow- instead he drops to his knees with a groan of pain, hand clutching his heart. It’s barely a second before Yusuke steps forward with an unreadable look in his eye that causes the shadow to scramble back, grabbing at the golden-framed painting nearby. It’s a pathetic scene, but you stay out of it for Yusuke’s sake. 

“No one cares for true art...all they want are easily recognisable brands!” Hands shakily holding Sayuri in front of him, Madarame stares up in fear as Yusuke stops before him with a hand resting on his Katana Saya. “I’m a victim in this too! Wouldn’t you agree!?”

There’s a part of you that wants to interrupt, to call him out for his feeble attempts to excuse his actions, but you and the rest of the thieves know better than to rob Yusuke of this moment. “Still making excuses…?” There’s no surprise in Yusuke’s voice- like any hope he once had in this man has completely fizzled out. 

Madarame ignores his words. “The art world revolves around money after all...You can’t rise up without any money…” He fixes his foster son with a look of pure pitiful manipulation, “Yusuke, you understand, don’t you!? Being a poor artist is truly miserable! I just didn’t want to return to that life!”

A sob barely has time to be ripped from Madarame’s throat before Yusuke grabs the front of his yukata, pulling him up so he can look the older artist dead in the eye. “A fiend like you has no right to speak about the world of art!” To a stranger, his voice would seem weirdly steady for such an emotional moment but when his voice catches, you almost want to cry. 

“You’re done for- along with this whole wretched world!”

The man basically shrieks, coming up to grab Yusuke’s arm. To think Madarame was taunting you earlier, and now he’s on the floor, crying like a coward. “No, please! Just….don’t kill me!” He sobs out before being thrown to the floor, head nearly slamming into the tiles as he continues to bawl. 

Yusuke looks down on the man he once called a father, standing tall. “Return to yourself in reality and confess your crimes- all of them!” There’s such a stark difference between the young boy who had been carefully groomed to be an artist for the greed of the man who killed his mother and the man who is standing before you now, condemning the same person who had used him for everything he was worth. 

God, you’re so proud of him. 

“Yes, yes! I will!” Madarame cries at Yusuke’s stern glare, before peering at your group. “Wh-What about the other one though? The one with the black mask?”

Murmurs raise from your group as they all turn to you, the only one with a black mask. “A black mask…? Do you mean Plague?” Ann asks, as confused as anyone else.

Madarame shakes his head, “They were...crueler. Not you…” You don’t say anything, but you can’t help but wonder what he means besides the obvious ‘it wasn’t you’. Maybe it’s better not to know, but the knowledge of another Persona user is both equally interesting and frightening. 

Even if you wanted to say anything, a tremor begins to grow throughout the museum and catching you all off guard. “Shit, there’s no time! We gotta hurry!” Ryuji calls out, grabbing Morgana and practically ditching him. You’re about to question his judgment before the cat quickly transforms into a van.

Right, you forgot it did that. 

Quickly you all pile into the van, though you linger as Yusuke momentarily converses with his former father. “Yusuke…” You murmur, watching as he walks towards you with Sayuri carefully gripped in his hands. He gives you a sad smile and the two of you try to ignore Madarame’s pained shouts for his son. 

* * *

“I guess the mission was a success. All that’s left is to see if he had a change of heart or not.” Ryuji sighs, leaning up against the rails as he sips a canned coffee. “Ugh, so bitter… Why’d you get it black?”

Yusuke, ignoring the blonde, looks down at the painting of his mother. “The ‘Sayuri’...” He murmurs, taking in the painting. The revelation that Madarame’s famous work was actually of him and his mother...You’re not surprised that he’s taking it so hard.

Realising that it’s a serious subject, Ryuji lets his head loll back. “That painting sure is special, ain’t it?”

“...” Yusuke eyes the boy, before letting a soft smile grace his lips. “I suppose it is. To think that this painting was the source of Madarame’s distorted desires...The only saving grace is that my mother won’t know of what transpired.” 

“The genuine painting at his workshop has been altered, after all…” Morgana muses quietly, “Ironic as it may be, this one here is her true self-portrait now.” 

Next to Yusuke, you peer down at the painting and take it in. A fair skinned woman looking down lovingly at her son bundled up in her arms, with a barely flowering sakura tree behind her. “It’s beautiful…” You murmur, not expecting to be heard by the boy next to you, but you look up at him with a gentle smile. “All things considered, it feels right that it’s finally in your hands now, Yusuke.” 

An unnoticeable flush graces the blue haired boy’s cheeks. “(Y/N)...Thank you. However, it’s impossible for this painting to be acknowledged by society anymore...” 

Realising the somber turn of the conversation, Ren turns to Yusuke with a soft look. “Sayuri...was that your mother’s name?” 

“No. I doubt it’s the name of any woman in particular.” The answer is tender in a way and you realise, almost lovingly, that this may be the first time Yusuke’s let himself be vulnerable in front of others. “I bet it was to make it more mysterious- just a part of Madarame’s foolish staging.”

Silence falls over the group as Yusuke continues to look over the painting. This moment, between all of you, feels so...warm. There’s an undertone of sadness but it feels like you’ve finally done something together. This fragment of Yusuke’s mother is so warm and loving and you wonder absently if your mother ever held you like this, looked at you so sweetly. 

Yusuke’s voice pulls you out of your thoughts. “So this is my mother...There’s no way that I would remember her face clearly- but I was right about the rush of emotion I felt when I saw this painting.”

“That’s why you never liked talking about Sayuri.” You recall, voice quiet in a way that almost seems foreign. “Those emotions...were hard to understand, right?” 

He doesn’t answer you but he doesn’t need to. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and thats the end of madarames arc everyone! if you cant tell writing action scenes isnt exactly my strong suit lol hope you enjoyed the chapter though!


	14. train rides, summer breezes and a new start

“The school clean up…?” 

You absently pick at the rice in front of you, chopsticks held loosely in your right hand. Ontop of the kotatsu sits your phone, currently on speaker. You had been eating dinner when you were interrupted, and thankfully Yu was working late so he couldn’t nag you about it. Something about manners and whatnot, though you never care to listen to his ramblings. 

The person over the phone chuckles, the sound ringing throughout your apartment. “Don’t tell me you forgot? It’s tomorrow, after all.”

A frown falls on your face. You honestly did forget, especially with everything going on with you and the Phantom Thieves. “...Some stupid field trip isn’t my highest priority right now.” You explain, “I’ll probably just skip.”

The line falls silent, and you can almost guess the expression they’re giving you- a raised eyebrow and a teasing smile. What an asshole. “You do know I’m a teacher, right?” They laugh and you have the overwhelming urge to hang up. 

“Like you’d snitch on me. There’s really no point in going, though.” You chew thoughtfully on a mouthful of rice. It hasn’t been very long since you took down Madarame’s shadow and your group has been slowly recovering from the fight- meaning that your body really isn’t up cleaning up a park with a bunch of annoying underclassmen. Not to mention you really don’t wanna deal with a specific therapist-in-training and his annoying fanclub. 

Said therapist makes a disappointed noise over the phone, much to your annoyance. “But you promised me you’d help with cooking duty!” There’s a whiny tone to his voice, but it’s clear that he’s just baiting you into reacting. Though you wouldn’t put it past him to be genuinely disappointed at your lack of enthusiasm. Takuto had always been a bit...weird when it came to the two of you interacting. While he’s always been outspoken about how his door is always open, you’ve noticed he prefers to contact you outside of school hours about issues that didn’t pertain to his internship. 

Maybe it’s a need to keep his personal and professional life separate, but he’s consistently involving you with both without a care in the world despite his assumed hesitance. It’s like he’s aware of your status as student and teacher, but you can’t exactly blame him. It’s not like there’s any power dynamics within your ‘friendship’ and he’s only one year older than you. 

“Stop making things up. I know I didn’t agree to anything like that.” 

Another laugh- it rings sweetly in your ears. “You agreed to it when you agreed to chaperone that social studies field trip with me.” He explains flippantly, “Which is soon, by the way, assuming you’ve forgotten.” 

You drop your chopsticks at the news, dragging a hand down your face. “Fuck.” How did you forget about that? It’s not like you exactly volunteered- the shitty principle had forced you into it as some revenge plot for existing, so you simply chose the day when the actual TV filming would be happening. Might as well get some entertainment out of it. However, you hadn’t expected Takuto to be present on the same day.

God, had this whole phantom thief business distracted you _this_ badly? 

“So, you’ll be here tomorrow?” 

* * *

The train to Inokashira park is _packed_. You’ve experienced busy trains since you live in Chiyoda, but the merge of office workers, school students and just simple passengers is making you a little nauseous. It’s hard not to miss the empty, calming trains back in Port Island as you get jostled around by the crowd.

‘Only a few stops left…’ You bargain with yourself, trying not to elbow all these strangers away. The lack of personal space is one thing you hate about the big city, but before you can complain about it your attention is drawn to the seats off to the side. There sits a red haired girl, calmly minding her business. She doesn’t spot you yet, but it’s hard to not notice her. 

Kasumi looks like a perfect picture of a teenage girl- she’s pretty, kind and...well she’s not exactly popular, but how could you be in a shithole like Shujin? A younger version of you probably would’ve been jealous, but it’s easy to admire her for what she is now. 

From an outsider's perspective, you’d imagine they think similarly. An upcoming gymnast with looks to boot? It seemed like her life was perfect. But you know her somewhat personally, and the fact that you could’ve thought about her like that is a little...disheartening. She’s a kind girl, but it’s obvious there's something darker underlying it. She’s not disingenuous by any means, or acting sweet for her own gain but you know her life isn’t perfect like everyone at school gossips about. 

You think if they knew she liked to drag out her friends to participate in burger eating challenges, they would start to think differently. 

Still watching her, the train slowly comes to a stop and the doors open with a flood of passengers. Some more students decked in red training suits board, but you can spot an older woman hobble on. You’re starting to feel a little bad for the woman considering the lack of space, but Kasumi’s face practically lights up. Before you can even wonder what she’s doing, she calls out to the old woman. 

“Ma’am!” She beams, beginning to stand up. More than a few people’s attention are on her now, but she doesn’t seem to mind, instead looking like one of those charitable heroines in some cheesy J-drama. “You can have my seat!” She shuffles out of the way, smiling sweetly, and then-

A man slides into the empty seat. 

You stare at the scene, almost annoyed. That seat was obviously for the old woman, who’d be that much of an asshole to take it? There’s being selfish and then there’s being a terrible human being. The guy doesn’t even seem bothered, staring down at his phone. 

Nobody really knows what to say- the old lady is a little shocked and Kasumi looks downfallen until you catch her eye across the carriage. 

“Hey.” You speak up over the chatter, “She gave up the seat for the lady, not you.” 

Kasumi’s eyes widen, and they flicker between you and the man. She hadn’t expected you to even be here, nonetheless speaking up for her. It’s almost out of character for you but it warms her heart to see you backing her up. “Um- it’s okay Arisato-senpai, really! It’s a public train, after all!” She waves her hands, trying to dissuade any arguments. You appreciate her charity, but you don’t want an asshole like this taking advantage of it. 

The man barely looks up, as if you’re not even worth paying attention to. Before you can call him out again, Kasumi politely pushes her way through the crowded carriage towards you. “It’s not worth it!” She lowers her voice to a whisper as she stands before you, a hand now resting on your shoulder. “They’re all looking at us. I don’t want you to get in trouble.”

She’s right. Among the passengers are Shujin students, all whispering to each other while looking your way. It’s common courtesy to not get involved with other people’s business, so you speaking up probably seemed pretty rude. Who says these students won’t snitch on you, say that you’re shouting at strangers on the train?

“But-”

Kasumi frowns, her bangs falling infront of her eyes. “I don’t want you to get in trouble, Senpai. It’s really not a big deal.” She purses her lips as a light flush comes up on her cheeks. “After all, I can just hang onto you for the rest of the trip!” 

And that’s how you spend the rest of the 20 minute trip with a pretty girl hanging onto your arm, trying to hide your embarrassment by not looking in her direction. Why do all of your interactions with Kasumi end up like some crappy romcom? There’s not even anything vaguely romantic here but the way Kasumi is smiling to herself makes you think otherwise. 

Deciding to not dwell on it, you let yourself relax as the train comes to a stop. Kasumi (reluctantly) lets you go and the two of you alight from the train. Kichijoji station is packed this time of the morning, and the redhead absolutely beams when she suggests the two of you hold hands so neither of you get lost. Neither of you are children, but her puppy dog eyes make you give in too easily. 

“Hey, Senpai?” Kasumi hums as you weave your way through the station, “We should visit Kichijoji together one day!” 

You blink at the suggestion, dodging an elbow. “Hm? Maruki-senpai is busy on weekends, isn’t he?” You don’t miss the way her expression changes at the mention of Takuto, and she grabs onto your hand a little tighter. 

She’s...embarrassed, that much is clear. “I meant just us two.”

Oh.

“Oh…” Her directness surprises you, and it’s hard to find the words. Sure you’ve met up with her and Takuto out of school on occasion, but never alone. The only person you ever really spend one on one time with is Yusuke, so it’s a little nerve wracking. But with the way she’s looking at you hopefully, a sparkle in her eye, you already know your answer. “If you want.” 

Kasumi snuggles closer and you wonder why your heart feels so tight.

* * *

“(Y/N)-chan!” Ann cheers as you come into view, before donning a stern expression. “You’re late!” There’s a teasing tone in her voice and she winks at you cutely. It’s nice to see that she’s recovered from the heist, and you raise your free hand to wave at her. 

Next to you, Kasumi mirrors your action. It’s a little nerve wracking being around upperclassmen, but Ren’s reassuring smile makes her feel better. “Hello everyone! I’m glad you made it here safely!” She says to the boy, looking a little sheepish. 

“Oh?” Ryuji speaks up, an amused look in his eyes as he looks at the two of you. “Who’s your little friend, ‘Sato?” Neither he nor Ann have met Kasumi, even though she’s acquainted with both you and Ren. 

“Yoshizawa. She’s a friend. ” You explain, pointedly looking away from the young girl. All of a sudden a round of choking can be heard from the group. You stare at them, blankly. 

Ryuji stares at you like you have two heads. “What?! Did I hear ya right? A friend who isn’t that underfed pretty boy?” He teases, a grin forming on his lips. A rush of pride goes through him at the thought of you actually making friends- to think that lonely girl from months ago was the same as the one standing before him, a pretty girl holding her hand. 

Similarly, Ann lets out a smile at the sight of you two. “Yoshizawa-san- you’re Maruki-sensei’s friend, right? He’s talked about you before.” 

The group does a good job in making Kasumi feel welcome as you all wait until the clean up properly starts. Ren’s looking over the group with a soft smile on his lips, and you almost feel like mirroring the expression. Kasumi fits into this group almost perfectly- she’s able to play along with Ryuji and Ann’s teasing without batting an eye. Despite your apparent lateness, it doesn’t look like it’s starting for a while. All you can do is wait until Takuto shows up with the ingredients, and then you can spend the next few hours on cooking duty. 

The prospect of being stuck with him for the rest of the morning is...weird, to be sure. Like you said, you’ve never really been alone with him for longer than an hour or so. Sure his little fanclub will be there too, but he had mentioned that he saw this more as a bonding opportunity for you and him. 

In a way his eagerness is endearing, but interacting like this within a school environment makes you wonder what goes through his head. But he’s friendly with nearly everybody he meets, and he treats you similarly to how he treats his childhood friend so it’s easier to not look too deeply into it. Perhaps you just remind him of Kasumi in a roundabout way. 

Speaking of the man, you spot him strolling towards your group with groceries hanging off his arm. He’s donned in his usual labcoat, though the sleeves are rolled up to expose his tanned arms. He greets your group with a smile, though something flickers in his eyes at the sight of you and Kasumi’s intertwined hands. “Morning, everyone!” 

The group looks up at him, surprised by his presence. Homeroom teachers were acting as chaperones, so the therapist’s appearance is a shock. Ryuji, the most suspicious of Takuto out of the bunch, gives him a droll stare. “Oh good, sensei’s here.” He sounds particularly bored, and the university student gives a little wince. 

Kasumi blinks at Ryuji’s standoffish attitude, before smiling at her childhood friend. “I didn’t know you were coming, Taku-chan!” With her free hand, she taps at her lips, “You told me you were gonna go grocery shopping on your day off.”

Ignoring Ryuji’s comment about ‘only old geezers grocery shopping instead of relaxing’, Takuto shoots her a smile and lifts up his arms. “I did! Though, I may have lied to you.” He scratches at his cheek sheepishly. 

The first year pouts and Ann shifts with curiosity. “What’re those for, Maruki-sensei?” She’s probably the only one to address him politely, not wanting to make any bad impressions who seems to be close with you. 

Before Takuto can answer, you do so in his steed. “He’s-” Takuto glances at you and you sigh, “We’re on cooking duty. He brought the ingredients for us.” From beside you, Kasumi makes a noise of excitement. 

“Arisato-senpai, you’re cooking for us!?” Her face absolutely lights up, completely energised from your words. “I’ll be sure to work twice- no, four times as hard! I’ll make you proud out there!”

Ren blinks at the girl, scratching his cheek. “It’s just a park clean-up…” His gaze falls on you, “You don’t seem like the type to cook, Arisato.” He’s noticed that you’ve got some odd hobbies that seem to clash with the aura you hold. Gardening, old music, and now apparently cooking. 

“My guardian taught me.” You explain, before glancing at a group of approaching girls. They’re giggling as they give your group odd looks, expressions changing to pure affection when Takuto takes notice of them. 

“There you are, Maruki-sensei!” One of them coos, batting her eyes at the therapist. One of her friends elbows her, before proceeding to give him the exact same look. “We’re going to start prepping soon…”

Takuto takes no notice of their affectionate tone, giving the girls a sheepish smile and lifting up the groceries again. “Pardon my tardiness, I took awhile trying to find the best cut of meat.” 

“Maruki-sensei is so diligent!” The third girl swoons, and your group look at each other with amused looks. Beside you, Kasumi gives a little giggle and moves to whisper in your ear. 

“Taku-chan’s always been very popular, did you know?” With an amused snicker, she secretly points at the man. “He’s oblivious to it all, though! A girl asked him out in middle school once and he thought she wanted to copy off his homework!” It does sound like something Takuto would pull, but you almost doubt he’s truly oblivious. He’s a therapist- his job is to notice things. 

His eyes flicker to you and it’s clear to you. Keeping a respectful distance between his ‘patients’ while ignoring their swoons and sighs- you’d think him a professional if you didn’t know him well enough. Maybe he does truly care about professional boundaries but the way he seeks you out after school, smiling wide and bag hanging off his shoulder, tells you otherwise. 

He treats you differently in a way that you can’t really understand, and a part of you thinks that you don’t want to. Because deep down you know that he sees something in you, looks past your facade of bitterness and you don’t want to comprehend what that means for you. The less people that break down your walls, the better. 

“We should get going now.” Takuto brings you away from your thoughts, motioning for you to follow him as he trails behind the giggling cohort. “I’ll see you all later- be prepared for the best homemade meal of your life!” 

Nobody says anything, put off by Takuto’s boasting. Maybe if he were older, it’d be endearing, but he’s at best two years older than most people present. “Ahaha...You guys don’t have to look at me like that.”

Letting go of Kasumi’s hand is hard considering she’s reluctant to see you leave, but you eventually bid your friends goodbye and follow after the peppy therapist. You’re already preparing to have your ears talked off by the man, but he’s quickly snatched up by his fangirls and forced into a conversation. 

The actual preparation goes pretty smoothly. You and Takuto are the more experienced chefs of the group, so you split the preparation of the meat between the two of you while everyone else is grouped into pairs and cutting various piles of vegetables into chunks. Stew is a questionable choice if you’re gonna be honest, but the spices Takuto begins to massage into the meat is promising. 

The whole process takes a few hours, though you’re all mostly waiting while the stew cooks. There’s not really anything to do and it comes as no surprise when Takuto’s fanclub begins to converge on him. They’re practically like vultures, cosying up to him while the man tries to awkwardly converse with him. It’s a little ironic that they’re so quick to fall for him after a teacher just got arrested for the sexual abuse of students, though it might be the fact that he’s Kamoshida’s completely opposite that endears them. It’s not your place to judge them either, though it’s still questionable in your eyes. 

When the clean-up is finally announced to be over, it’s almost like a godsend. The sound of students cheering as they rush towards the serving table cues your departure and it doesn’t take you very long to run into one of your friends.

However, that friend is Ren Amamiya. 

Your footsteps slow down when you spot Ren sitting on a bench, quietly eating his bowl of stew. Morgana is lying next to him, meowing something to the noirette while he sunbathes. Ren looks like he’s about to say something to the cat before he looks up at the sound of you approaching, looking like a deer in the headlights. 

Though his expression quickly softens. “Hey.” He breathes out, voice low. “I think we need to talk.”


	15. to forget but not forgive

A warm breeze washes over you as you sit next to Ren in silence. Morgana had left the scene quickly, citing his need to check on Ann- though you think he didn’t want to find himself in the crosshairs and you and Ren’s discussion. You don’t exactly blame him, who knows what’s going to happen here. It’s a culmination of weeks of tension and a public space really isn’t the best place to do it. 

Might be the reason why Ren chose it, considering he probably thinks you still hate his guts. 

Honestly you had let go of your grudge some time ago, though it tended to linger when Ren did something stupid or just simply annoyed you. He’s a good leader despite his faults, but he needed to learn how to resolve interparty issues. The fact that he’s let this go on for so long is questionable enough, but you’ll give him a chance. 

Not that he’s giving himself one right now, since he’s silent as a rock. The air around you two is awkward and it makes you thankful that the park is mostly empty now. Most students had headed home immeditly after being let out, with the rest already finished with their stews. Maybe there’s a few still lingering, but you don’t see them right now.

(The bush that’s moving suspiciously a few feet away tips you off, but you put it to the back of your mind. Probably just the wind.)

You’re mostly just enjoying the warmth of the sun when Ren finally speaks up after gathering his thoughts. It’s obvious he’s been thinking about this discussion for some time, and you’re a little relieved he finally gathered enough confidence to do so. Even if he looks like he’s about to sweat himself a full swimming pool. 

“Before I say anything...I need you to promise me that what I tell you won’t reach anyone’s ears.” Ren starts, looking deathly serious despite the sweat dripping down his cheek. “Please.”

He sounds so desperate that you can’t help but sigh, nodding your head slightly. “I promise.” There’s a lot more that you want to say, but you can tell it isn’t exactly the time for your questioning. This seems like something Ren’s been thinking about for quite some time given his expression, which softens at your agreement. 

Ren shifts on the bench, leaning over so his head rests in his hands. “Thank you.” He sighs out, sounding relieved. “What I’m about to tell you might be confronting, and you might hate me even more after it, but I think- no, I know that you need to hear it. Morgana is the only other person who knows about this, and even he doesn’t know the full extent of it.”

You immediately begin to understand the full severity of what Ren wants to tell you, straightening your back. “It’s not...anything bad?”

He swallows tightly, feeling your gaze burn into his back. “I don’t really know myself. Maybe it’s bad, maybe it means something more. I can’t really know unless I finally tell you.” It sounds awfully suspicious, but he hopes you’ll listen to him without feeling the need to beat him up. “When we first met on the rooftop, Ryuji told you we were looking for you that past week, but we never explained why. I mean, we said it was because we found you interesting but...I never told you the real reason. The others don’t know, either.” 

“Hah…” Ren gives a huffed laugh, lifting his head up to look at you. He looks so tired and you only just notice the bags residing beneath his eyes. “I really don’t know how to say this without sounding creepy. The reason why I wanted to find you was because in some weird way, I felt drawn to you- like it was fate for us to meet or something sappy like that. Stupid, right?” He laughs again, more pitifully this time. 

You don’t say anything and he almost collapses into himself. “God, it scared me so much. It was like Arsene was constantly pushing at my brain to see you, to find you- I hated it. I don’t know why I felt this way about someone I didn’t know.” He explains further, picking at his nails, “I thought it went away when we finally met, but when I saw you in the Metaverse, all scared…”

“Ren…”

Something akin to a sob rips itself from his throat, and he clutches at his hair. “All I could think is ‘I need to protect her’ even though I knew you could protect yourself. I felt so disgusted with myself and these things I was feeling. Why me, and why you…?” You wonder how long he’s been dealing with this for- and why hadn’t he tried explaining this to you previously?

Ah...you’re not stupid. There’s no way you would’ve believed this near stranger back then, and you never really gave him the chance to. Acting standoffish had never worked in your favour much, but it obviously caused Ren to be wary of you. Really, who could blame him? You had lashed out at him back on the rooftop and didn’t give him much opportunity to explain himself.

You suppose both your actions had led to this tenseness between you two. 

“I was so scared when you awoke to your Persona because I knew it meant no turning back. There’s no excuse for how I treated you but I never wanted you to get involved with this further than you were before- I wanted to be your friend, not to bring you into this mess.” 

Your throat feels tight. “You had no right to make those decisions for me-”

“I know!” Ren interrupts, his hands tightly fisting his jeans. His knuckles have turned white, and you find yourself gently loosening his grip with your own hands. His heart stutters at your touch, but he continues without hesitancy. “You were going to get involved from the beginning. You wouldn’t have let Yusuke go through this alone, and it’s better that you witnessed everything first hand. But god, why did it have to happen like this?”

The conversation is going down a path you can’t really comprehend, so you try to steer it back. “You said...Arsene was drawn to me?” Asking with a small frown, you let your hands fall back to your sides. He’s throwing all this information at you, but not giving you the time nor means to actually process what he’s talking about. Maybe this kind of stuff was just normal for Persona users?

Doubtful, given the way Ren moves to clutch at your fallen hands with a ferocity that’s almost frightening. 

He gives you a small, shaky smile. “I don’t really understand it myself, but it’s like…” His messy bangs fall into his eyes as he lapses into thought, “When you’re awakening to a Persona, and something begins to tug at your subconscious. It feels like something is constantly begging for your attention, itching at your brain.”

You peer at him curiously, interested in why his awakening seems to be different from yours. “It was more of a really bad migraine for me.” He gives an unamused look at your interruption, obviously about to explain further before you jumped in.

“Beneath all that. I suppose it’s more obvious with my multiple Personae, but it’s like they’re trying to get into your head. Though I guess this is more like Arsene trying to guide my thoughts, not get a read on them.” 

“So,” You whisper out, trying to comprehend this all, “You think our meeting was fate?”

Ren shrugs, hands tightly gripping your own. Almost absently, you think anyone seeing the two of you would get the wrong idea about your relationship, but Ren seems to need the contact. His shoulders are hunched and the forlorn look on his face almost makes you miss the cocky, annoying Ren who’d tease you in the Metaverse.

Seeing Ren look so vulnerable is...unnerving. 

“I don’t think it matters.” He explains carefully, the words sounding like he’s thought about this on many occasions, “I don’t want to think we met because of some greater purpose. It sounds nicer if we met because we just...could. A chance run-in, a spontaneous meeting- just anything but the thought of a god playing us like chess pieces.”

His hand squeezes yours. “I know we didn’t get off on the right foot, but I want to change that. I want us to be friends, if you’d let us.”

“That was possibly the worst apology I’ve ever heard.” You state harshly, a part of you enjoying the way Ren’s face morphs into embarrassment. His eyes flicker from your expression to your intertwined hands, possibly wondering why you haven’t ripped yourself from his grasp, and an almost fond bout of laughter leaves you. “Good thing I wasn’t looking for one.” 

“Huh?” Ren’s surprised expression is priceless, and you ponder taking a snap of it before he narrows his eyes. “Are you making fun of me?”

“Of course.” You laugh, not noticing the way his expression softens at the sound, “You’re way too proudful to apologise. I was just mad that you couldn’t make your mind up about how you were treating me.” Your explanation doesn’t help much, and Ren almost wants to throttle you for causing him this much trouble.

“Right…” Ren trails off, not knowing what to say. After stressing about this for weeks on end, he doesn’t know whether or not this changes anything between the two of you. You listen to him fine in the Metaverse, and it’s not like you really need to be friends outside it but…

A sigh leaves your lips, and you nudge him softly. “You want to do that cheesy ‘Reintroducing yourself’ thing? Don’t think you’ll see this as settled unless we do some meaningful shit like that.” It’s not like you to suggest something like this but you’ve find yourself lowering your walls ever since joining the Phantom Thieves. Maybe it’s for the best that you’re finally letting Ren in. 

Ren doesn’t seem to expect it either, as he just stares at you in surprise. “You’d do that?” He makes it sound like you’ve promised him some grand favour, rather than offer to start your relationship anew with a cheesy cliche you stole from a book. “I...would like that.”

You nod, shuffling away from the boy as you clear your throat. “My name is (Y/N) Arisato, I’m a third year at Shujin Academy and I was born at the Tatsumi Port Island H-” Ren interrupts with a bout of gleeful laughter, giving you an amused look. 

“You don’t need to recount your whole life story, Arisato.”

“(Y/N).” You say, the softest of smiles gracing your lips, “Call me (Y/N).”

_ I am  **thou** , thou art I… _

_ Thou hast acquired a new **vow** . _

_ It shall **become** the wings of rebellion  _

_ that  **breaketh** thy chains of captivity _

_ With the birth of the  **Renaissance** Persona, _

_ Thou hast obtained the winds of blessing that _

_ shall lead to freedom and new  **power** … _

* * *

“You slept in?!”

Holding your phone up to your ear as you hurry through the crowded streets of Shibuya, you wince as your friend’s voice begins to barrage you with questions upon questions. It’s not welcomed considering you’re trying to focus on not getting knocked to the ground by strangers, but mostly you don’t feel like dealing with Ryuji’s attitude today. 

“Blame Yusuke.” You huff out, hoping your eardrums haven’t exploded with his shouting, “He came over last night and talked my guardian’s head off until midnight.” It’s not a lie- Yusuke and Yu’s heated debates were a sight to behold. 

Not when you were trying to sleep, though. 

“Huh? So it’s that malnourished artist’s fault you slept in?” Ryuji spits, and you wish you could hit him right now. “Why’d you even have him over in the first place, (N/N)?!”

Not that he can see it, you roll your eyes. “It’s not like I can bring you over, smartass. He’ll be horrified if I bring a raggedy delinquent home.”

“Raggedy delinquent?!” You can vaguely hear Ryuji begin to lecture you about manners but you hang up before you get a headache. Seriously, he needs to be a little more mindful of others next time he decides to start shouting in people’s ears. 

A part of you understands Ryuji’s actions- the entire group is getting antsy at the prospect of Madarame’s change of heart and whether it worked. Not to mention the exhibit’s final day was yesterday, meaning either he confesses or you and Ann are getting arrested. Maybe lingering around Shibuya Square isn’t the best idea, but it’s not like he needs to get up on your ass for sleeping in. You can recall numerous times he’s slept in on Mementos excursion days, and you barely ragged on him for it!

“Ah...Are you okay?” A voice interrupts your thoughts, and a face appears at the corner of your vision. A brown haired boy stands next to you, his phone clutched in his hand and a concerned expression tainting his visage. He looks about your age, but the clothes he’s wearing are a little odd. “Your companion was quite loud over the phone. I hope it’s nothing troubling?”

You blink at his intrusion, not used to strangers actually talking to you. “He’s usually like this, nothing new.” You explain a little coldly, more confused than anything. “Do you normally talk to strangers?”

The stranger obviously doesn’t expect your bluntness, but he seems to roll with it. “Only the one’s who are getting screamed at.” His words are dripping with charisma and you wonder if he’s genuinely concerned or just trying to act like a good samaritan. Who really cares? He’s a stranger, after all. “I apologise for rudely approaching you like this…?”

Obviously probing for your name, the stranger is interrupted by the sound of crying ringing throughout the Shibuya Square. The large television screen planted on the 109 building broadcasts a live feed of Madarame Ichiryusai, on what can only be called a surprise press conference. The old man is sobbing as he speaks to the media- the Shibuya crossing filling up with curious bystanders.

“I...have committed crimes that are unbecoming of an artist. Plainly put...i plagiarised work.” The sight of Madarame bawling his eyes out, barely stuttering out his words, is making you feel sick. You spot the boy next to you shift uncomfortably at the display, fists clenched by his side. 

“I-I tainted this country’s art world...and even ‘Sayuri’...! H-How could I possibly apologise to-” Another sob rips from his throat as he slams his head down onto the table, “To everyone for what I’ve done…!”

Just as quickly as the conference starts, it ends. Even while a newscaster begins to explain what just happened, you can’t find it in yourself to listen. 

You...really changed his heart? This is what you’ve all been working towards for the last few weeks but it’s only truly sunk in as you watch the newscaster discuss the work of the Phantom Thieves. To think a group of outcast teenagers had this much power…

It’s a truly fearsome thought. 

“Phantom Thieves, huh…?” The stranger next to you mumbles, expression unreadable. You school your own expression just as he looks over at you, not wanting to draw any attention. “Thank you for speaking with me, even just for a moment.” His gratitude is odd, considering your conversation only lasted for a minute or so, but he’s off before you can say anything. 

Well, it’s not like you’re likely to see him ever again, so you put him out of your mind and hurry to the overpass. Hopefully the other’s aren’t too annoyed that you stopped to watch the conference rather than watch it with them. A part of you feels bad for not being able to comfort Yusuke, but nobody thought his change of heart would happen this suddenly. 

The thieves are talking quietly amongst themselves when you approach them, discussing the situation at hand. They’re usually very loud and flighty, so the sight makes you uneasy. Not to mention the departing figures of police officers- just what did they say to your friends?

“(Y/N)-chan, you made it…” Ann sighs out, watching as you settle beside her on the railing, “I’m guessing you saw the broadcast?” You nod, not knowing what to say. There’s a sense of sombreness about the situation, even if it means Madarame is finally atoning for what he’s done to Yusuke’s family and countless others. 

Ryuji looks off to the side, having dropped whatever annoyance he held towards your tardiness. “...’ts fucked up.” He scratches at his neck, “Never gonna get used ta’ the sight of them sobbing all gross like that.”

You only vaguely remember the way Kamoshida begged for forgiveness at that assembly a few months ago- it feels so distant now. You weren’t involved wih the thieves back then, but it’s undeniable that changing his heart was for the better. 

“Ryuji.” Ren nudges the boy with his foot, eyes flickering to the somber artist looking out the window. The scolding tone causes Ryuji to groan, burying his face in his arms. A part of you expected for him to be way more pumped up about the situation, but it’s clear that even this is having its toll on him. “By the way, (Y/N), has Madarame contacted you at all? You said you knew him at some point.”

You shake your head. “He hasn’t. I’m not anyone he should be apologizing to.”

Your words cause Yusuke to look over at you, eyes looking suspiciously red. “If he won’t apologise to you, I will.” He looks serious despite how throaty his voice sounds, “If it weren’t for him…”

Somehow the group’s mood lowers even more, and now it’s your turn to want to throttle someone. You care for Yusuke to a very high degree, and you appreciate him wanting to make things up to you, but there’s nothing for him to apologise for. You tell him this much, and his face changes to confusion. 

“Madarame was the reason I pushed you away....I can’t forgive that.”

Trying to ignore the presence of your friends, you take a step closer to Yusuke. “Yusuke...I’m not the victim here. Maybe I lost my friend for a few weeks, but what he did to you…” You place your hand on his, squeezing it lightly. “I won’t say this again, so listen close. Don’t focus on me right now- what he’s done to you is the most important thing right now.” 

(On the floor, Ryuji nudges his best friend’s leg. “Do they even remember we’re here?” He eyes the two of you in annoyance, scoffing at the moment you’re having. The nudge he gets from Ren in return is less of a light poke and more of a direct kick into his ribs for ruining the scene.)

“(Y/N)...” Yusuke murmurs, a hand coming up to brush a stray strand of hair out of your face. The contact between the back of his knuckles and the skin of your cheek feels almost electric, “What would I do without you, my wonderful muse?”

It’s not an empty question that he’s asking. The day he met you, he had been in a massive slump for a fair few weeks. Everything he painted felt wrong, and whatever seemed passable to most felt like a complete failure to him. As an artist he had experienced these periods often, but never to this extent. The trip to Shibuya had been a last ditch effort, just to see if he could still draw simple things. While he preferred more extravagant forms of art, at that point even drawing snow was better than absolutely nothing.

He never expected he’d see you there. He still doesn’t know why you were there in the first place, other than that you were on a trip visiting Yu and some family of yours. Not to mention why you were standing in the middle of the falling snow, headphones blasting some old electronic song he didn’t recognise. The sight shouldn’t have been anything special, but it spoke to him in a way. He could imagine that the figure was him, and the snow falling around her was a representation of his slump. 

The way you didn’t let it bother you...it gave him hope that he could work through his slump- and he did, scribbling down details like he was a man on the verge of death. Even when you had caught sight of him and threatened to arrest him, it hadn’t put him off. The hastily sketched scribble in his sketchbook felt like a lifesaver. 

Funnily enough, he still hadn’t completed the real painting. Maybe for fear of finally being finished with what nearly changed his life for the better. 

“Not to interrupt your moment…” Ann interrupts, causing Yusuke to pull back from you. “But Yusuke, were you able to get anything out of Madarame about the suspicious person in the black mask?” She feels guilty for butting in, but it’s been bugging her for awhile. 

Yusuke looks deep in thought for a moment, fingers trailing over his knuckles. “Well..I pressed him for answers, but he doesn’t even understand what happened to him to begin with. It seems like shadows have the memories of their real selves but not visa versa.” 

“That’s pretty much it.” Morgana confirms, pawing at Ren’s bag, “We won’t be able to get information out of their real selves for the most part, especially not about Metaverse matters.” 

“I suppose there’s no reason for me to seek him out, then.” Yusuke sighs out, letting his head lull back. He looks awfully tired, and it’s obvious that he’s been crying. “Nor any reason to stay in that shack for any longer. I don’t think I’ll be able to live peacefully knowing my mother died in the very place I grew up.” 

The group’s expressions fall, the solemn talk just adding onto the already gloomy atmosphere. “Do you have somewhere to go…?” Ann asks with a worried tone lacing her words. Yusuke seems to appreciate her concern, but doesn’t look any better. 

“Kosei houses a set of school dorms. I can stay there free of charge thanks to my scholarship, but there still are expenses I must pay…” The thought of money makes him anxious, considering Madarame was the only one keeping him afloat in that aspect. “Maybe I should get a job…?”

“You could stay with me.” You speak up, surprising the group. “The guest bedroom is practically yours at this point, and Yu adores you.” 

“Yu?” Ren questions the name, and Ryuji seems to tune into the conversation. “Do you live with someone else?” Honestly, he doesn’t really know much about you besides the basics. He didn’t even know anything about your home life, evidently. 

“My guardian. Yusuke comes over often, so they’re pretty acquainted with eachother.” You don’t mention that Yu technically isn’t your guardian, just the person you’re most comfortable staying with. Not even Yusuke knows who actually has legal custody over you. 

“Would Narukami-san allow that? I would appreciate it deeply, but I wouldn’t want to impose.” Yusuke peers over at you curiously, and you give him a reassuring look. 

“Even just until you get back onto your feet. Yu can even help you find a job if you want.”

The smile he gives you absolutely melts your heart and you’re quickly reminded why he’s your best friend. You wouldn’t do this for just anyone, after all. “I’ll...take you up on that offer, if Narukami-san allows it. I can’t begin to express my gratitude for your kindness.”

You wave him off, telling him that he doesn’t have to. “I’ll talk to him tonight, then we can get you settled.” You don’t expect Ann to almost tackle you down, squealing something about ‘our little (Y/N) being so generous!’ and you threaten to throw her over the walkway. Ren and Yusuke watch in amusement when Morgana hisses that he won’t allow two ladies to be fighting like this, with Ryuji beginning to argue with the cat. For anyone else, this would be a chaotic sight, but to the rest of you...it feels right. 

However, nobody notices the figure looking at you from across the walkway, staring down your interactions like a hawk. “Yusuke Kitagawa and (Y/N) Arisato…” They murmur to themselves, watching the group walk away. 

How curious. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> finally up to date w/ chapters, enjoy! updates might be scare from here as im finishing up my final year of school and i dont have much time to write.


	16. filmed before a live studio audience!

The day of the social studies trip hits you like a truck. Trying to put it out of your mind by studying or hanging out with your newfound friends didn’t work, and it didn’t help that Takuto liked to remind you about it everytime he saw you.

‘Don’t forget!’ You’re literally so close to just blocking his number and ghosting him at this point, but he’d probably play the victim. How this man got the internship here, you’ll never know.

That’s besides the point, because you’re currently sitting in the audience of some talk show and wishing you were dead in a ditch. Right now you could be doing something productive, but apparently the principal’s grudge against you proved stronger than a need for actual education. Half the crowd is made up of students from Shujin and the other...are young girls, around your age or younger. It’s an odd sight, and Ann giggles about it with you as you wait for filming to resume. Thank god your three underclassmen are here, because you’d die if you had to babysit a bunch of snotty second years you didn’t know.

Though, it’s not like Ryuji’s any better. He’s busy antagonising Morgana from where he sits in Ren’s bag, like some sort of freak. Not too far off, in all honesty. 

Suddenly a round of whispers go across the room, the atmosphere becoming energised. “Akechi-san’s coming on!” One of the staff calls out, motioning for the camera operators to get into position. All you know is that it’s some sort of talk show, one that you haven’t been paying attention to for the last 30 minutes, but you’ve never heard of this ‘Akechi’. Not like you pay attention to gossip riddled talk shows like this in the first place.

A brown haired boy in an elite Tokyo high school’s uniform steps onto stage, posture poised and confident, and you suddenly realise you _do_ know him. Not personally, and you’re a little surprised that you remember- but he’s the boy you met a few days ago in Shibuya Square. The way everyone is acting makes you think he’s some sort of celebrity, which doesn’t explain why he approached you for no reason.

The show comes back from commercials, the boy perched carefully on a sofa opposing the hosts. “Welcome back everyone! We’re moving onto the next segment of our show, the meet and greet! After his last appearance was so well received, we decided to bring back this fine gentleman today. It’s the high school detective, Goro Akechi!”

The crowd goes wild, but you’re busy thinking about the logistics of another high school detective. Is this a common thing or are you just going crazy? How come you’ve never heard of him either- someone like him would’ve come into your radar at some point. 

“Ah, hello there.” Goro gives a sweet smile to the audience, hands resting in his lap. You notice that he’s wearing gloves unlike the other day. Maybe it’s to fit with the detective theme? 

“Thank you for taking the time to join us today, Akechi-kun. Your popularity is stunning- the amount of requests we received to get you back on was staggering!” The female host compliments, looking way too energetic for this time of day. Goro’s face changes in an instant, sheepish expression looking manufactured. 

He laughs lightly, shifting to cross his legs. “Even I’ve found it to be quite a surprise. It is a bit embarrassing though…”

The following conversation is rather bland, mostly small talk made between three people who don’t really care about the other. Beside you, Ann almost begins to fall asleep on your shoulder and Ren is busy playing thumb wars with Ryuji. What are they even supposed to be learning about here? How to host a boring TV show? 

The discussion eventually falls to the Madarame case, and thus the Phantom Thieves. You hadn’t expected it to come up in a place like this, and your group slowly begins to pay more attention. Except for Ann, who’s still resting against you- who could blame here? She probably had to sit through boring interviews herself, being a model. 

When asked for his opinion on the Phantom Thieves, Goro’s expression falls to something more neutral. “If they truly are heroes of justice, I sincerely hope they exist. Their targets have all been objectively harmful to the people around them, so it’s not hard to assume they do have some sense of justice.” He explains, but that neutral expression quickly distorts into disgust. 

It’s an odd look on someone that pretty. “But hypothetically speaking, if these Phantom Thieves are real...I believe they should be tried in a court of law.” A round of gasps go around the room this time, and Ann nearly wacks you in the face when she sits up in surprise. What a bold statement from someone who wouldn’t know the full situation. 

It seems like the male host agrees with you. “That’s quite the statement you’ve made. Are they committing crimes? Some people even say that the Thieves are actually helping their victims abandon their evil ways.”

Goro seems to ponder his words, tapping at his cheek with a gloved finger. “What the artist Madarame did truly was an unforgivable crime.” He explains, tone back in that ‘neutral’ area, “However, they’re taking the law into their own hands by judging him. It is far from justice. More importantly, you should never forcefully change a person’s heart.”

“You have a point- these people are calling themselves the Phantom Thieves, after all.” The female host adds. Your group stares at Ryuji, who grumbles about nobody else helping him out with team names. “Amazing as always, Akechi-kun! I could listen to you for days!” Way to suck up. 

Goro seems to ignore the compliments, looking barely engaged with the current conversation. You wonder why nobody notices how detached he looks since he looks as bored as your group currently feels. The female host looks over at the side of the room, one of the producers mouthing something to her.

“Oh! Now then, let’s try asking some students the same age as Akechi-kun about the Phantom Thieves! First, please press your button now if you think the Phantom Thieves exist!” She demonstrates with a little black button she holds in her hand. You find one placed precariously on the arm of your chair, and you quickly press it. No shit the Phantom Thieves exist- you are one!

The results come up quickly, revealing that 30% of people here believe in the Phantom Thieves. Given the small crowd that mostly consists of Shujin Academy students, it isn’t really a surprise considering they experienced Kamoshida’s confession in person. It really isn’t the best sample to use, but it’s likely more than most expected.

Once again, Goro is asked for his thoughts on the results. This time he genuinely looks surprised, eyebrows furrowing in thought. “I’m a bit surprised- the number is higher than I was expecting. I’d love to hear some more detailed opinions on the Thieves’ actions.”

The concept seems to get the crowd excited, some of the younger girls absolutely vying for a chance to be seen on TV. You’re ready to sit through some boring answer like ‘They’re so evil, date me Akechi!!!’ when the female host practically shoves her microphone in your face. “Let’s try asking this student here!” She cheers, the sound of disappointed sighs reaching your ears, “Hypothetically speaking, what are your thoughts on these Phantom Thieves, if they were real?”

“...” You think for a moment, eyebrows furrowed and it’s easy to miss the split second look Goro gives you when he catches sight of you. “Haven’t we got enough proof that they are real? What’s the point of asking hypotheticals and ignoring what’s happening right in front of us. Whether or not you believe they’re just isn’t the point- focusing on the victims of their targets should be the first priority.”

You haven’t spoken this much and this passionately in quite a bit, and you try to ignore the stares you’re getting. “Would someone abused by Kamoshida want to hear about whether it was right or not for their abuser to be exposed? What has the media, and the police, done for the victims besides make a country wide discussion about the abuse they’ve faced and why some random group’s justice is more important than what they’ve gone through?”

“I don’t care if they’re doing this for the right reasons. If it means people are finally getting the help they need...Then all I can do is face the facts of the Phantom Thieves’ existence.”

The studio falls into silence- even Goro, who looks at you in shock. Nobody had expected such a serious answer from a daytime talk show, especially not from a high school student like you. The female host laughs off your answer, about to move on when the detective speaks up. 

“What a strong opinion...” He hums, leaning forward in his seat. “Would you feel the same if someone close to you- let’s say a family member’s heart was changed by these Phantom Thieves…?”

Your answer comes quickly, not even needing to think about it. “Of course. If someone I cared about had hurt someone...I’d want them brought to justice. Picking and choosing who to hold accountable defeats the entire purpose of this system.”

Goro looks thoughtful for a moment, nodding at your words. “Not many people share your ideals. It’s rather refreshing to hear someone care about the victims rather than the logistics of the justice involved.” You feel like it’s a compliment, but it comes off as him being annoyed that you’ve changed the subject so drastically. 

The discussion switches after your little speech and you spend the rest of the filming on edge. It’s hard to feel like you haven’t just overshared to possibly thousands, or whoever actually watches this show, and pissed off a detective. Though, what’s he gonna do? Investigate you? How scary. 

It’s a godsend when the show finally finishes. Since it’s the end of the school day, everyone’s free to leave. You were planning to go sightseeing with Ann, but you’re quickly interrupted by someone tugging at your skirt when you stand up. 

“Um, senpai!” The voice calls out, sounding nervous, “You were really cool before!” It’s a nice compliment considering you were expecting everyone to beat you up outside the studio, and you turn around to see…

A young girl, around the age of 12. She barely reaches your shoulders, short black hair curling around her cheeks. She’s staring at you with gleaming eyes, absolutely beaming. “The way you talked about the victims...You should become a police officer!” She begins to ramble, not noticing your confusion. “My mom’s a police officer! She’s super good at her job, I think she’d like you! Oh, and my brother’s training to be one too! You two should meet! Senpai should be friends with big bro!”

You blink down at her, “Do I know you?”

“Oh!” She giggles to herself, moving back so she can bow to you. What a polite kid. “I’m Akane Hasegawa! I’m here on a trip with my Mom and big bro!” She’s probably the peppiest kid you’ve ever encountered and honestly you’re worried about why she’s even here. Did she sneak into the recording or something? It didn’t look like her mother or brother were here. 

“Did your mother never tell you not to talk to strangers?”

Akane pouts, looking at you with puppy eyes. “You look trustworthy, big sis!” She ignores your heart attack at the nickname, before taking a glance at her phone. “Oh, big bro is looking for me...Hey, you should help me find him!”

You glance around the studio before sighing to yourself. You wouldn’t want her to find herself in danger by going alone, but you don’t particularly want to meet her brother. What if he thinks you kidnapped his little sister or something? That’d be annoying to explain, plus you still wanted to hang out with Ann today. 

“Fine. Tell him where we are- and to meet us outside.”

The two of you head outside, the younger girl still clutching at you. Apparently she had snuck into the taping because she was a fan of the high school detective, saying how she was jealous that you actually got to talk to him. She’s oversharing a bit, but you think she might just be happy she found a trustworthy person to talk to. Tokyo city is a big place for someone as young as her, and honestly it’s better that she approached you rather than some creep. 

Almost 10 minutes go by when you spot a tall, black haired boy running towards you, clearly sweating from the exertion. His long locks flutter behind him in a low ponytail and his thin rimmed glasses look like they’re about to fall off his face. It’s a little amusing that he has to take a ten second break to rest before he stares daggers at Akane, looking like a furious parent. 

“A-Akane-” He huffs out, pushing his hair away from where it’s stuck to his face, “Don’t run off like that! Especially when Mother is in such an important meeting!”

Akane rolls her eyes from next to you, “Your fault for not noticing! Get some better glasses, old man!” Her words don’t seem mean spirited, more like teasing banter between two siblings. Well, you assume that this is her older brother. He looks young and fairly gaunt, like those greasy teenagers you sometimes see on TV shows. 

“I’m only 19…” He mutters to himself, before his gaze falls on you. It seems like he hadn’t noticed you until now, and his face goes through 50 different expressions before falling on suspicion. “Who are you?”

Before you can answer for yourself, Akane butts in. “She’s my new big sis!”

Her brother looks like he’s having a heart attack- he probably thinks you’re some creep, praying on kids, and you don’t really want to be labeled as such. “Ah...she approached me during a television filming. I think she was lost.”

He looks at you, evidently not believing you. “You do know how that sounds, right?” Before he can say anything else, Akane steps forward and kicks him in the shin. 

“You’re so annoying, ‘kichi! Big sis here was so cool- I just wanted her to meet you and Mom, but you’re being a bully about it!!”

You feel yourself dying inside. Jesus, what had you gotten into? Akane’s brother is still looking at you suspiciously, though his posture has relaxed as he takes you in. While you give of an air of indifference, he trusts his sister enough to not approach complete strangers. Evidently you’ve shown yourself trustworthy, especially to the daughter of a police officer.

“Ah, well…” He trails off, a little put off by your dull stare, “I apologise for my sister’s brashness. Apparently she’s forgotten all the manners drilled into her.” A pointed glare is sent in the girl’s direction, but she just laughs it off cheerfully. 

Tugging at your bangs, you pray that this awkward interaction will end quickly. “It’s fine. Did you teach her to talk to strangers?”

The man blinks carefully, not quite shocked at your words. “Akane…tends to be sort of a free spirit, though I’m glad she ran across someone trustworthy.” The awkward little smile he gives you is almost cute in a way- he seems like a protective but dorky father rather than an older brother. This little encounter might make up for the absolute snoozefest that was the social studies trip. 

You teasingly raise a brow, peering up at the man. “How do you know I’m trustworthy, Hasegawa-san?” You ask, almost amused at the way his face flushes at your formality. “Part of your police deductioning?”

Hasegawa’s face drops, now visibly annoyed with his sister. “Ah, I see she told you about that? I’m sorry that my sister feels the need to infodump to every stranger she meets on the street.” His words come off as strict, but it’s clear that he’s just worried about Akane. It’s a little nice to see, especially since Akane doesn’t seem to be particularly bothered by her amused giggles. 

A brother and sister getting along like this…

“But,” He continues, giving you an unreadable look, “She’s a good judge of character, even for a 12 year old. Not to mention that you’re a schoolgirl who looks fairly mature- it’s not unreasonable to think you’d be trustworthy, especially to another young girl.” His reasoning isn’t entirely solid, but it makes sense in social situations like this. Plus you had spoken out during the taping, so you would’ve drawn Akane’s attention. 

Still, he’s assuming a lot about someone he doesn’t know. Not that you’re complaining- if Akane is telling the truth, her mother is a cop and her brother a cop in training, so you don’t want to offend anyone here and possibly get arrested. Yu would have a fit if that happened. 

Hah. That’d be fun to watch. 

Either way, you’re thankful that Akane’s brother doesn’t seem to want to arrest you. It’s a nice change of pace, in all honesty. “I guess so, Hasegawa-san.” 

The man scratches at his neck, back to looking embarrassed. “Ah, I’m barely your senior, not to mention I’d rather not share a title with my mother...Would it be rude to ask you to call me Zenkichi?” He looks like he’s about to explode, making you wonder why he’s extending such a thing to a practical stranger. Does he really trust his sister’s judgment that much?

“It would.” You confirm, watching as Zenkichi tries to backpedal to the amusement of his sister, “ _If_ I didn’t extend the same formality to you. (Y/N) Arisato, but I won’t complain about either name.” 

“(Y/N) Arisato…” He tests out your name, nodding to himself thoughtfully, “Thank you for taking care of Akane.”

You shrug, starting to feel a little uncomfortable with the praises. The conversation has only lasted a few minutes, but talking to strangers is exhausting. Not to mention you’re still trying to calm down after ranting in front of a live studio audience earlier. “It’s really no problem. Just keep a close eye on her next time.” 

Zenkichi nods again, line of sight falling on his sister. “Now, apologise to Arisato-san before we head back.” The look he gives Akane could scare anyone into submission, but evidently not his own sister as she just grins and shoves her phone into your face. 

“Let’s exchange chat IDs!” 

“Ah.” You say quietly as Zenkichi starts to panic again, “That’d be really weird of me. I’m 18 and you’re like, 12 at best.” Your calmness contrasts Zenkichi’s frantic chastising of his sister for her boldness. She doesn’t seem so amused by the situation, pouting at the both of you. 

“But I wanna keep in touch with bis sis!” She whines childishly, slapping her brother’s arms like a bratty child. She genuinely seems to want to befriend you, but you’re a little out of touch when it comes to reading emotions so who knows? Either way, it’s a little nice that Akane seems so fond of you already- you’ve never been good with children. 

Zenkichi winces at the attack, swiping Akane’s phone. “Don’t-” He leans out of the way of a flying hand, “pressure Arisato like that. High schoolers might think being friends with middle schoolers is weird.”

His sister pouts, trying to snatch back her phone while you watch on silently. You really don’t want to get involved with their...fight, but you still really want to sightsee with Ann. “Zenkichi-san.” You start, ignoring his wince at the honorific and pulling out your phone, ‘Give me your chat ID. Akane can talk to me from there.” Maybe it’s a little bold, but everything you’ve done in the last hour has been so out of character that you’re not really bothered anymore. You think it's because this playful but genuine brother sister relationship reminds you of what you and Minato once had, or maybe Akane has just grown on you. Either way, hopefully Zenkichi doesn’t think you’re a freak. 

Rather than calling the cops on you, he just seems slightly surprised. “That seems...easy enough. I’ll warn you that I don’t look at my phone very often, but I’m sure Akane would like to keep in contact.” With a shy smile, he holds out his phone so you can enter your ID in. Amusingly, the only contacts he has are Akane and most likely his mother- it’s similar to your own contact list. You hand the phone back after entering your ID, fingertips brushing against Zenkichi’s momentarily. It’s unnoticable to you, but he pulls back with a flustered expression. 

After checking the time, Zenkichi pockets his phone and gives you an apologetic look. “I apologise, but Akane and I really should head back. Mother is probably wondering where we are.” He explains, rolling his eyes when Akane starts whining. “Say goodbye to Arisato, and be nice about it. You’ve already taken up too much of her time.” 

Akane follows his instructions, but not in the way you’d expect. Almost in a flash, she wraps her arms around your waist and squeezes like a fucking machine. “Bye-bye, Big sis! You better text my big brother soon!” 

And with that, she drags off her brother as he stumbles behind her with only a frantic wave given in your direction. You watch them disappear into the crowd, completely worn out by that entire interaction. Talking to strangers really isn’t your thing, after all. 

Well, at least you can head back to Ann now, hopefully she isn’t annoyed at you for ditching her-

“Isn’t this a surprise,” A voice interrupts your thoughts, the silky tone sounding oh-so-familiar to you, “Looks like we meet again, stranger-san.”

Suspiciously, you turn around and spot a brown haired boy gazing at you with amused eyes, leaning against a nearby wall almost cockily.

"...Goro Akechi.”

His smile widens- and your heart stops.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> heres the first ch that actually lines up with the original books upload! like i said, it'll be pretty one for one from now on! 
> 
> thanks for everyone for reading and leaving kudos, it means alot to me! i dont use ao3 too often so im glad this fic is getting reads. 
> 
> hope you all enjoy!


	17. creampuff bribery

Someone must really hate you. Like really detest your guts to the point of making sure you receive all the bad luck in the world. It’s the only explanation for why this is happening to you, because a kind and just world wouldn’t make you sit through another social interaction after just getting out of one. It’s awfully cruel- maybe it’s a punishment for all those times you made fun of Yu for his hairstyle, or when you let Teddie use his toothbrush when he came over that time, or-

“It’s nice to finally meet you, or at least talk to you without work matters interrupting.” Goro Akechi gives you a warm smile, hands tucked into his coat. His voice and expression are a far-cry from what he displayed during the filming, and you wonder if it’s even the same person. “You’re a very elusive person.” 

A sense of unease washes over you at his words. In almost all regards this man is a stranger to you, and it’s odd that he’d call you elusive after only meeting you twice. But you don’t want to jump to conclusions, especially with someone with such a grasp on the media scene. Who knows what he’ll do if you call him out. Clutching at your mp3 player, you give the detective an unamused stare. 

“Is that a compliment?”

Goro’s smile doesn’t drop as he kicks off the wall, brown bangs falling into his face as he peers at you closely. You can definitely understand why he’s a detective given how much he’s making you feel like you’re about to be interrogated. What is he getting out of approaching you like this? 

The chuckle that leaves his lips is warm- he’s more amused by your words than annoyed. It’s interesting to see how quickly you changed between speaking to that brother and sister duo and now him, and he’ll be pleased if he can figure out the reason. “It is. I had hoped to catch you after the filming, but you disappeared before I could even blink.” He isn’t too bothered about it, though being cornered by rabid fangirls wasn’t what he was planning to do with his day. Thankfully he had managed to get away and find you, but it took longer than needed. 

You shrug, eyes flickering off to the side. The afternoon sun is blaring down on the both of you and there's a steady stream of pedestrians passing by the studio- probably busy shopping or just enjoying their day. That was supposed to be you and Ann, but you’re stuck in another conversation with a cop-adjacent stranger. 

Man, maybe this really is payback for how you’ve treated the people around you recently. 

Noticing how you’re not replying, Goro’s smile almost unnoticeably twitches. “Ah, am I bothering you? I’m not quite an expert at reading a room.” An awkward chuckle punctuates his sentence, put off that this conversation isn’t turning out like he wanted. He had hoped to get your name and pick your brain after that surprising rant you went on before, but you’re just as unwelcoming as you were back in Shibuya Square. 

Maybe it’s refreshing to come across someone who doesn’t treat him like a god or just a bratty kid, but you seem completely closed off to the point where he doubts his charms will do much. How irritating. 

“...No.” You say after a few seconds of thinking, moving your gaze back to the brunette detective. Sure you get weird vibes from him, but you don’t think he means any harm. Potentially, he doesn’t get to hear many differing opinions and just wants to understand your thought processes, and you can’t fault him for that. “It's been a long day.” Is what you go with in the end. 

His unforced smile is back, albeit somewhat sheepish. “You’re from the Shujin Academy trip, correct?” He peers closer at your uniform, “Assumedly an upperclassman too. You must be exhausted looking after such rowdy underclassmen…”

Whatever he’s trying to prod at, you don’t bother falling for it. His smooth words are admittedly tempting, but he’s still a stranger who is very aware of your clashing opinions on such a substantial topic. In all likelihood, this is just an act to sus you out, and not a very good one. 

But it’s amusing to watch him try to get what he wants, so you’ll play along for a bit. Ann will understand, right? 

“Ah, now you’re insulting my school?” You give him a droll look, lightly scuffing your shoes on the ground. “Not to mention your dedicated fans…How cruel.” Despite your seemingly disappointed words, your voice stays steady and your face is emotionless. You’ve gotten good at fucking with people like this- probably a trait you picked up from your brother.

Considering Goro doesn’t actually know you, he isn’t able to pick this up. His body language is tense as he stares at you, worried that he’s genuinely upset you. “That’s not what I-” His panicked expression drops when he realises you don’t look particularly offended, replaced by a look that you could only describe as ‘pleasantly unamused’. “Ah. That was a joke.”

If you were the type to snicker, you would. All that psychology bullshit is better left to Takuto but from what you’ve seen of the detective, he seems like sort of a people pleaser. Not that you’re trying to diagnose him or anything, nevertheless it’s hard to ignore when you’re in a conversation with him. 

“I suppose it was.” 

Everything about you right now is such a stark contrast to what he’s seen from afar, and it only makes him more intrigued and in all honesty, really put off. He’s dealt with his fair share of impassive individuals- dealing with Niijima on a daily basis was almost impossible- and every single time, Goro wants to just lean over, shake their shoulders and tell them to fucking emote for once. However, he’s too awfully polite to do that, but it really tests his patience. 

You’re just a high schooler faced with a stranger who’s cornered you in front of a building, so he shouldn’t be too annoyed at your reaction. Though it’s hard not to wish you’d show him the level of intelligence he saw back in the studio. 

“Rather unsightly of me to admit this, but I’ve never quite understood the jests of my peers.” Goro admits, absent-mindedly twirling a strand of honey brown hair around a gloved finger. “You’ll have to forgive me for that.”

Carefully, you give him an apprehending look. “A rather strange thing to say to someone you just met.” You comment, trying not to sound suspicious of the detective. 

Goro’s following laughter sounds genuinely sheepish, and he scratches the nape of his neck. “You’re not the first to tell me that. It’s not often I get to talk to people my age- I tend to overshare, you see. I’ve been told it’s a terrible habit.” There’s no real way of faulting him for that, considering you could say the same things about a few of your friends. (No guesses who you mean by that.)

Despite the shadow of the studio looming over you, the midday sun is still quite prevalent. It’s not to the point of being uncomfortable, but it’s evident enough on your face that Goro notices. “I apologise for being so forward, but there’s a lovely little cafe a few blocks away if you’d like to get out of the sun.” He offers, giving you an award winning smile, “The sweets they have there are to die for.” 

It’s pretty forward of him and a part of you wants to chastise yourself for even entertaining the thought of following a stranger to an unknown location, but something about the detective makes you want to learn more about him. Even Orpheus feels intrigued, though you can sense your brother’s annoyance with the situation. 

So, disregarding everything you’ve learnt about stranger danger in your 18 years, you let the detective lead you to a horribly quaint cafe deep in the belly of Tokyo. 

* * *

“Oh, thank you.” 

Goro gives the waitress an award winning smile as she places a flat white on the table in front of him. Despite the clear age difference between the two, the woman still flushes and evades eye contact while she puts down your tea. You quietly thank her, giving the detective a droll stare. It’s a little amusing to see so many people fall for the warmth of his smile, despite how cold it seems to you. 

He sips at the coffee, pausing when he catches your odd look. "Ah, is there something on my face?" He doesn't say it in a condescending way, but he's clearly calling you out for staring and it's a little embarrassing. Perhaps if you were one of his fangirls, you'd be blushing and stammering.

Fortunately for the both of you, you aren't. Your gaze drops down to your steaming cup of tea, watching the water slowly begin to settle. "I'm just curious. You seem like someone who'd take their coffee black." 

It's a rather simple observation, and Goro nods thoughtfully at it, like it's something he hasn't heard countless times. "It's an odd stereotype, detectives liking black coffee. I've never truly understood it- why limit yourself to one sole blend? Maybe it's something to be said about how detectives work."

Well then. Maybe Yu was wrong about all detectives liking their coffee black. You'll have to investigate the other detective prince a little more thoroughly, in case they've been lying to you about their taste in coffee. 

"I doubt most drink it for pleasure." You point out, taking a small sip of your tea. 

Goro shrugs, "I suppose so. I do take my coffee black from time to time, but it's fun to experiment with what I order." He takes another sip of his coffee, a fond smile on his lips. "Lately, it's been western coffee. Not many places serve it- I'm sure they only prepared it because I'm somewhat...popular these days."

"'Somewhat'? Nearly everyone in that audience wanted your autograph." 

You don't mean it as a compliment, but Goro still laughs sheepishly despite it. "It's quite easy to become popular in the eyes of teenage girls, so I wouldn't say it counts. Though," He glances back at the counter, seeing the waitress from earlier staring at him dreamily before being scolded by her boss, "I guess the age bracket is larger than I thought."

"You don't sound very happy." Another harmless comment, but Goro winces after being called out. He's prouded himself on being able to easily read people, but he's yet to get a hold on you. It's refreshing, but nonetheless irritating for someone who relies on said skill to direct conversation in a way that benefits him. 

"I'm a detective, not a celebrity." Is the nondescript answer he gives, and it sounds like something he's had to repeat numerous times. While you barely know him, you're aware that being in the spotlight can feel like a curse at times and the almost dejected look on his faces makes you want to apologise for bringing his fangirls up. 

But you're not quite ready show any vulnerability to him, so instead you do him a favour and divert the conversation. "I doubt you invited me here just to discuss your celebrity status, Akechi-san."

Goro chuckles, watching out of the corner of his eye as the waitress from earlier heads towards the table. In her hands are two plates, holding the sweets he had praised earlier. "As I said, I'm quite a fan of the treats this cafe serves. It's been quite a while since I last stopped by, so I thought I'd invite you." 

You lean back as the waitress stops by your table, but your eyes never leave Goro's face. You're not sure what to make of him, as he sweetly thanks the waitress for her service as she places the sweets down. There's a likely chance he's buttering you up so you'll spill why you went on that rant back there, and it's getting annoying that he's trying to tiptoe around the topic without seeming too hasty.

He looks up to continue, but he catches sight of your vexed expression. "Ah, you don't believe me, do you?" He hums carefully, digging his fork into the corner of his sweet pastry. "I do want to speak with you about your...opinions concerning the Phantom Thieves, but that sort of thing is quite the cold opening, don't you agree?"

"Bribing me with sweets doesn't help." You comment, glancing down at the creampuff before you. "It's a useless endeavor on your part- it only makes me more suspicious of your intentions."

He quietly takes a bite of his dessert, eyebrows furrowed thoughtfully. "I've mentioned my lack of knowledge when it comes to my peers, so I suppose this is just another thing I've mangled my way through."

"...Has anyone told you that you're an incredibly confusing person?"

Seriously, it's like he can't decide whether he wants to act professional or randomly overshare about his lacking social skills. He's on the Phantom Thieves case, and yet he can find the time to chat to some random teenager he met on the street? 

"Honestly? Quite often."

* * *

"You know," Goro chimes up as he walks you to the train station, "I never got to ask you about the Phantom Thieves." 

The rest of day had gone by rather quick- putting away your better judgment, Goro was genuinely interesting to talk to. It was clear he didn't have much experience socializing with others his age, but it wasn't like you were any better. After addressing the elephant in the room, the conversation had gone by smoothly and you found that you had a lot in common with the detective. Namely, you both ranted about various Tokusatsu after catching an advertisement on the cafe's TV. He had very...strong opinions on the currently airing Featherman, ones that you very much disagreed with. 

(Seriously, just because the silver ranger of the season was rumored to be an redeemed antagonist didn't make it a shit season. Grey Pigeon sounded like an absolute badass, especially with the whole experimentation rumor, and Goro had zero taste whatsoever.)

"I wouldn't have told you anyways."

He laughs like it's a joke, smiling at you as if the two of you are best friends. Maybe debating Tokusatsu has that effect. "I don't doubt that. I'd still like to hear your thoughts, though. Us detectives tend to focus on legality of issues- an outsider's opinion would be quite welcome."

"You just want to debate Q1's horrible toy sales, don't you?"

"Ah," He stares at you, still grinning, "Perhaps I do."

If he wasn't looking so closely at you, he most likely wouldn't had noticed, but the faintest of smiles graces your lips and-

_I am **thou** , thou art I..._   
_Thou hast acquired a new **vow**._

_It shall **become** the sword of justice_   
_that **tilts** to thy favour._

_With the birth of the **Délabrer** Persona_   
_thou hast obtained the winds of rebirth that_   
_shall lead to new beginnings and new **power**..._

Slowly and silently, the world unpauses. Goro hadn't even realised the world around him had frozen, too caught up with the words ringing in his ears. It sounded like the voice of a young girl- one that couldn't belong to anyone he knew. He doesn't think it's you, considering you're giving him a very confused look. 

"...You stopped walking." You point out, and Goro thinks it might be your way of showing concern. A little sweet, but he doesn't think he can concentrate on keeping up his façade after whatever...that was. 

He glances behind him, smile falling a degree. "I apologize, but I remembered I need to head back to the station. Detective work waits for no one, after all." It's a lie- nothing had been scheduled after his interview, but he doesn't think he can keep a straight face for much longer.

Fortunately, you don't question him. You're pretty close to the station anyways, and there's something to be said about awkward conversations while waiting for the train. "Good luck." You nod politely, "Thank you for lunch."

With that, you continue on your way without a second glance. Goro doubts your eagerness to leave is anything against him, but he wonders if you caught onto what was bugging him this entire time. Maybe he was a little too forward, a little too open for someone she had only met twice. 

“Hahaha....” Goro laughs to himself, eyes flickering to the side, "This is bad..."

After all, his Persona being drawn to a complete stranger wasn't an everyday occurrence.

* * *

Across the city is a red haired girl, alone in her cheap one story apartment, staring at her TV in silence. There's a manic sense to the way she's looking at the talk show that's currently playing, like she'll die if she looks away even for a second. 

"...importantly, you should never forcefully change a person's heart."

A notepad sits in her hands, hasty scribbles lining the pages. To anyone else, it would be unintelligible garbage, but to her it's the key to something much bigger. Something that will change the way she views the world if she's right. 

"...focusing....victims of their targets....first priority..."

Silently, she brings her pen down onto paper. 'Victim' is written in scratched kanji, and she clumsily writes over it in an effort to make it bolder. She makes a line between the it and two similarly scratchy names in the middle of the page. 

"...all I can do is face the facts of the Phantom Thieves' existence."

The notepad is thrown to the floor hastily, the pen scattering across the flooring. What follows next is a stifled shout- whether it's laughter or badly held-back sobbing isn't very clear. 

"...if someone I cared about had hurt someone...I'd want them brought to justice-"

Almost robotically, she leans over her discarded notebook and turns off the TV, leaving her in a dim and silent apartment. All she can hear is her own heavy breathing, and she stares down at the notebook in a manner that would be thoughtful if her head wasn't rushing. 

"Hah..." She chokes out, looking at the scratched words before her like it's another language she can barely understand. Everything about it feels so wrong...there has to be something she missed, right? There's a missing piece to this mystery, one that she can't quite grasp just yet. "...I can't tell him about this, can I? There's no way he'll believe me."

If anyone saw this, they'd think she was out of her mind. 

"Yeah." She nods to herself, grabbing the notebook, "I'll just have to leave him in the dark for now."

There's no way her childhood friend would know what a 'Persona' was. Whatever she heard back at the school cleanup, crouched behind a bush, was between her, that criminal transfer student and her favorite senpai. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> guess whos back! blah blah for personal reasons ive been gone but heres another chap after like 2 months sorry :[ hopefully after i've graduated updates will be a little more regular
> 
> as always, hope you enjoy! if you dont understand the stuff at the end, reread the first half of ch 15 (its been awhile so i dont blame you if you've forgotten cuz its pretty minor)


	18. wanna grab a coffee or something?

Overhearing shitty gossip about the Phantom Thieves was _not_ how Ren wanted to spend his morning. Sadly, the rise in popularity due to Madarame’s change of heart meant it was inevitable that people would begin to share their opinions on the group- whether that be questioning their motives or altogether doubting their existence. 

Morgana grumbles about it, irritated that people keep turning a blind eye to their actions, but Ren’s grown somewhat numb to it all. That’s just how the world is, believing what directly benefits you and condemning anything that could potentially crack the glass of an ideal world. The treatment of the Phantom Thieves in the media was inoffensive at best, and he’s glad that at the very least, nobody is doubting the crimes Kamoshida and Madarame committed. 

Still, recently it’s been a little too hyperfocused on that up and coming detective he met back at the TV station. While the Phantom Thieves weren’t a taboo topic, most in the public eye were hesitant to give their opinions on the group- but Goro Akechi seemed to be very vocal in his dislike. An opinion like that was bound to get tongues wagging considering the current climate. 

Ren can’t quite get a grasp on the detective. It’s easy enough to tell that he’s putting on a façade, but he doesn’t know which parts of him are purely for the press, and it’s rather annoying. For all intents and purposes, Goro is an enemy of the thieves, and it won’t help if he’s completely blind when it comes to a vocal rival. 

Even if being around him makes Ren uneasy.

“I can’t believe we were on TV yesterday- with Akechi-kun! It was like a dream come true~” 

Ren glances up from beneath his messy bangs, catching sight of a Shujin student loudly musing to her friend as they walk towards the school. It’s not like he recognises anyone in this school besides a few chance students, but they’re probably second years who went on the same social studies trip. 

Her friend swoons in a similar matter, giggling like a schoolgirl would. “I can’t believe a high schooler moonlights as a detective! He’s just like the detective prince.” She cups her face, “He’s smart _and_ handsome! He’s almost _too_ perfect!”

Ugh. Ren goes back to tuning everyone out, not before snickering to himself as Morgana makes a horrible gagging noise from his bag. You’d think a detective would be measured on the cases they’ve solved, or the people they’ve helped, but no. As long as they’re smoking hot, that’s all that matters. 

Maybe he’s a little bitter, but he hasn’t had the best experience with police officials in the past. 

“Though, did you hear?” The louder girl begins to gossip, not bothering to lower her voice, “You know that freaky third year? Apparently someone saw her and Akechi-kun talking to each other after the interview.”

Almost instantly, Ren’s attention is snapped back to the girls. He doesn’t want to rush to any conclusions, but there was only one third year on the social studies trip and that was…

“The chick from Inaba? Akechi-kun was probably just telling her how wrong her opinion was!” The second girl snickers, twirling a strand of short hair around her finger, “How charitable of him~ She had the opportunity to speak to him, but she wasted it on some stupid rant. I’m sure Akechi-kun knows more about the Phantom Thieves than she does!”

He can’t catch the rest of their discussion as they approach the stairs leading to Shujin Academy, but it’s enough to get him thinking. Ann had told him that you got caught up in something yesterday, but she never mentioned that you were talking to that detective.

He vows that he’ll talk to you about it at some point- there’s the chance that whatever you talked about was important- but when lunch arrives, he’s too caught up in Ryuji’s ranting.

“...Man, that detective from yesterday really pissed me off! What’re we, some kinda threat?” The blonde fumes, pacing beneath the veranda as Ren watches silently, “If someone else could help with this shit, we wouldn’t be doin’ stuff as the Phantom Thieves to start with!”

He continues pacing, only to wince as a hand karate chops the back of his neck. “Hey!”

“You’re being too loud.” You say as you approach the group, glancing as Ann shakes out the hand that just hit Ryuji. “You’ll out us.”

Ryuji just rolls his eyes, elbowing Ann in retaliation. “Who cares? Everybody’s talkin’ about this shit anyways. It’d just be more suspicious if we were whisperin’.”

“Uh, most people aren’t shouting out that they’re the Phantom Thieves, idiot!” Ann exclaims, waving a potato stick at Ryuji before eating it with a loud crunch. Ryuji gives her a weird look before snatching one of the sticks out of the packet in her hand. “Hey, get your own snacks!”

From Ren’s bag, Morgana shakes his head in disappointment. To think that these are the thieves he’s relying on. “You guys are too laid back. The police are getting involved now, you know.”

With a scoff, Ryuji crunches down on the potato stick. “So? Can’t let the cops scare us outta bein’ phantom thieves, considerin’ we’re basically doing their jobs for them.

“Even ignoring the police, there’s a lot we don’t know about the Metaverse.” You chime in, leaning against the round table in the middle of the rest area, “We’ll have to be careful-”

Your sentence is cut off by the sound of a camera going off, and the four of you look up to see Makoto Niijima standing before you, her phone pointed in your direction. She looks suspiciously smug and you can’t help but worry that she caught a little too much of your conversation. 

“The hell?” Ryuji steps forward with a deadly glare, not caring that this girl is his upperclassman, “What kinda freak goes around takin’ pictures of people-”

Makoto interrupts him without thinking, voice steady. “You four seem to be having so much fun. I’m a little jealous.” Despite her words, she sounds more amused than anything and you wonder what she’s getting out of bugging you.

“...What do you want?” Ren speaks up, giving the school council president a suspicious look. She’s already been popping up randomly, but now taking photos of him and his friends? It’s going way too far. 

The third year turns her gaze to the transfer student, red eyes narrowing. “Nothing, but you sound on edge. Could it be that you’re hiding something? My ears are always open to the troubles of my peers, you know.”

You scoff, downcasting your eyes just as Ann speaks up with a serious tone. “You’re really that hungry for a good letter of recommendation, huh..? Most people wouldn’t go this far, y’know.”

This seems to shock Makoto, who whips her head to fix Ann with a glare that could make a young child cry. “What’s that supposed to mean…?” She demands, face beginning to flush in anger. It’s not very sightly for a school president to get so worked up, and you’re sure this is all stuff she’s heard before. 

Ann doesn’t seem perturbed, leaning forward with a similar glare. “...You’re student council president, right? Wouldn’t you have known about Kamoshida?”

Oh. You had wondered why Ann would provoke her, but you never had thought about Makoto’s involvement concerning the PE teacher. She would’ve had to know something was up with him, right?

You and Ren exchange awkward looks. This isn’t your argument to get involved with, considering neither of you were direct victims of Kamoshida’s abuse, but you’re still worried. There’s a possibility of this getting Ann into trouble, and if Ryuji speaks up...who knows what it’d do to his personal records. 

Your friend’s words hit their mark, and Makoto leans back in shock. “Of course not! He honestly was a good teacher until that day…” She defends back, almost insulted by Ann’s insinuation. Yeah right, even you knew something about Kamoshida was off from the very beginning.

The argument seems to heat up, and Ann ignores you when you grab onto her arm. “Oh, but you always take the teacher’s side.” She snarks, glancing down at you idly, “That’s what a good council president does, right?”

Something changes in Makoto’s expression, something that you really don’t like. “Then...how about you? What did you do for Suzui-san? You were much closer to her than I was, so how did you help-”

Ryuji lets out a disbelieving laugh, looking between Ann and Makoto. “It was that sick fucker’s fault that Suzui jumped!” He steps forward, shrugging off Ren as he tries to hold him back, “What the hell do you know about her? Say that kinda shit to Ann again and-”

“There’s no need to shout.” Makoto reverts to her usual self, giving a smug grin to the blonde before looking over at you and Ren. “Do try to keep your friends under control.” She says as if she wasn’t the one who provoked the two, and leaves just as quickly as she arrived. 

“...” Ann slumps over in your grasp, letting her head rest against your shoulder. Similarly, Ryuji stays silent as he looks down at his clenched fists and Ren drops his hand from his bicep. “I’ve made up my mind.”

Ryuji lifts his head at Ann’s muffled words, resolve clear on his face. “You too, huh? No way we can end it like this- weird Metaverse shit or not.”

While the two blondes look at one another with understanding, you can’t help but worry what’s going through their heads. All you can do is hope that this whole thing won’t end in ruin. 

* * *

Yusuke hums thoughtfully as everyone fills him in on recent events. Some things aren’t surprising, like that brunette girl’s interference, (He’s spotted her following him and Ren on their outings at times, and her disguises are absolutely horrible) but hearing about your rant to Goro Akechi of all people shocks him. He’s closer to you than most, but you’ve never been the type to so openly speak your mind in front of a crowd. 

He’d never admit it, but he’s rather proud and heartwarmed that you reminded everyone to care about the victims of these crimes. Hearing you, however indirect, speak of your care for him makes him oddly happy. 

“Not to mention, the Phansite’s been going apeshit since then.” Ryuji laments, scuffing his shoe, “It’s all repeatin’ the same shit Akechi said. Not everythin’ you see on TV is right, dammit…” 

Yusuke’s tone sounds a little wistful, tucking a stray lock of hair behind his ear. “The influence of celebrities at work, huh…” He nods to himself, “He’s free to deny our actions, but being cursed by this influence is another thing entirely.”

Lamentful, Ann gives a sigh and slumps down. “Just when we were starting to get people to believe in us too…” You carefully pat her back, not knowing what to say. It’s not like many people were rushing to support your group in the first place, but it’s still annoying that one person’s opinion could affect others in such a large amount. 

“All we gotta do is take down another hot shot, yeah? Ugh, not like we’ve even found anythin’...” Ryuji groans, before looking over at Yusuke, “By the way, what’s up with the luggage? You finally livin’ on the streets?”

Yusuke gives him a blank, unamused stare. “You would like that, wouldn’t you?” His tone is steady, despite the fact that it’s clearly his attempt at a joke, “I decided to leave the school dorms, in the end. They were not only filthy, but too noisy as well- no true art could come from such a place.”

“What’re you gonna go then? You can’t go back to that shack, right?”

Tilting his head, the artist looks confused. “Of course not. I’ll be staying with (Y/N) and Narukami-san for the time being.” He explains like it’s obvious, barely taking notice of the way Ryuji looks like he’s been thrown a complete curveball. “I’ve even prepared a thank-you gift. I hope it’s to Narukami-san’s liking.”

“Oh, did your guardian say yes?” Ann asks you, bumping her hips into yours, “No fair! I wanna stay with (Y/N)-chan too!” You shift at the contact, turning your face away from Ann’s pouting visage. You won’t fall victim to her puppy dog eyes…!

“Dude.” Ryuji stares Yusuke down, face stony, “You can’t stay at her house!”

While Ann giggles to herself, Yusuke fixes the blonde male with another confused look. He’s not sure what Ryuji is getting worked up about, after all. “Kosei allows students to stay with non-relatives, and Narukami-san graciously allowed me refuge in their household.”

“That’s not what I-” Ryuji scratches at his bleached hair, “Just because her guardian said so doesn’t mean you should!”

“I-I agree!” Morgana chimes up from Ren’s bag, peeking out with bright blue eyes. It’s a shock to everyone in the group that he’s agreeing with Ryuji of all people- especially to Ryuji himself. “There’s no way Yusuke and Arisato-hime are allowed to live together! What if…”

Ren gives the cat a playful tap on the snout, rolling his eyes with a carefree smile. “Are you guys actually jealous? Yusuke could be sleeping on the streets, but you’re more bothered by this.” He sounds pretty amused by the situation, and it’s nice to see him this happy-go-lucky. Ever since your little ‘talk’ back at the clean-up, he’s relaxed more around the group and doesn’t seem as stressed as he used to. 

“Well...yeah!” Ryuji spits out, fumbling for his words, “Yusuke’s a dude, and ‘sato’s a chick!”

Ann deadpans, turning to the blonde boy next to her. “Seriously? What are you, 12? You think she’s gonna get cooties or something?” She snickers, before something gleams in her eyes. “Watch out Ryuji, I’m gonna give you cooties!” Reaching out to grab Ryuji, she bursts into laughter when he instinctively flinches back. 

Watching the two blondes start a game of pseudo-tag, you give Yusuke an apologetic look. “Don’t listen to that idiot. Staying with me is perfectly fine.” The look Yusuke gives back is so bright and happy that you almost have to look away again. It’s really unfair that your friends are so pretty…

Yusuke nods, looking significantly more upbeat than previously. “My warmest thanks.” He blinks, looking awkward when his stomach begins to rumble. “Ah...on that note, I think we should think about heading off. I only have enough yen for the train ride there, after all.”

“Not that I forgive you for taking advantage of (Y/N)-hime’s hospitality...but I can’t let an important member of our team starve. We should go back to our place for now.” Morgana offers, pawing at Ren’s shoulder. The noirette looks perturbed, looking back at the cat with annoyance. 

Ann perks up, stopping midway with her hand shoved in Ryuji’s face. “Oh! We haven’t been to Leblanc in a while! It’s pretty close from here, right?”

Leblanc…? While you haven’t been there yourself, you know that it’s the establishment Ren is currently living out of. Yusuke had described it as a very humble cafe, though he hadn’t gotten to experience the owner’s coffee at that time. It might be nice to finally check the place out.

“Since Yusuke’s probably starving, maybe we can finally have that party to celebrate Madarame’s change of heart!”

Forgetting about the whole ‘cooties’ situation, Ryuji snaps back to attention and gives a cheerful grin. “Ooh, good idea! We can make it a welcome party for our new members, too!”

“...Fine. I’ll try to convince Boss.” Ren acquits, and the two blondes cheer as they drag you off towards the station. 

* * *

The smell of coffee and curry invades your senses as you enter the humble little cafe called ‘Leblanc’. The aesthetics are almost the complete opposite of the cafe you visited yesterday- Leblanc has a homely feeling that could only be achieved by a family-run cafe that looks like it came out of the 80s. You’re a little jealous that Ren gets to live in such a cool place. 

“Ah, what a nice smell…” Ann hums, pigtails bobbing as she takes in the atmosphere. She gives you and Yusuke a wave, motioning you to come closer. She seems pretty comfortable, so chances are she comes here often. Ah, you’re a little jealous. 

The man behind the counter turns at the sound of your voices, eyes lighting up in recognition. “Ah, Ren’s friends.” He gives a nod, before glancing at you and Yusuke out of the corner of his eye. “Another girl…?”

The two of you bow, embarrassing Ren with your formality. Since Yusuke had mentioned that the owner wasn’t there the last time he visited, it’s probably best to introduce him too. “Arisato (Y/N). This is Kitagawa Yusuke. Thank you for having us.”

As Ren playfully chides you for being so weird, Ann giggles to Ryuji as they watch from the side. “(Y/N) is surprisingly courteous, isn’t she? It’s kinda cute!” Ryuji nods absently, then nearly breaks his neck when he turns to her. Whatever he’s about to say is interrupted by Sojiro offering to brew some coffee on the house, and Ann sticks her tongue out as she grabs you and makes sure she’s sitting _right_ next to you. 

The two of you politely chat while watching Sojiro (and Ren, who the older man forced to help) begin to pour hot water over a filter atop a dripper. You’ve never been a huge coffee fan- while your brother would take you to a local coffee shop in the mall, you were never able to have any due to your age. These days it only served to remind you of your brother, so you tended to avoid it. 

The woman you stayed with before living with Yu was more of a tea drinker, so it had become a habit to drink tea rather than coffee with meals. 

Soon enough, three cups of coffee are set before your group. Ryuji had already mentioned he wasn’t a big fan of coffee, preferring to stick with a can of coke instead. The girl next to you makes a joke about it rotting his teeth before taking a sip of coffee.

“Ah… Delicious as always, Boss!” She compliments, giving you a nudge, “C’mon, (Y/N)-chan! Boss’ coffee is praised by heaps of those restaurant magazines!”

Casting aside your fears, you pick up the steaming cup of coffee and bring it to your lips. The flavour is...strong, to say the least but there’s something about it that draws you in. The roasted flavour is beautiful, and you can tell that it was made by a completely professional. The methodology of brewing a perfect cup of coffee seemed complex, but Sojiro made it seem so easy. “It’s...good.” You give Sojiro a nod, hoping that he’ll understand your lacking vocabulary. You can see why Minato was so fond of the drink. 

“Indeed, there’s a great depth to its acidity.” Yusuke adds, savoring the drink with a smile. The coffee seems to have sated his appetite for now, and he gives an appreciative look towards Ren and his guardian. 

For a stern looking man, Sojiro seems pretty humbled by your compliments. “Thanks. Not often you get teenagers who appreciate the fine art of coffee brewing.” He gives Ryuji a narrowed glance, the blonde sculling his soft drink loudly. “Once you’re finished, head on up. Sure the kid’s room is much more interesting than downstairs.” With that, he busies himself with washing up.

“So you really do live in an attic…” You murmur, taking another sip, “It suits you, Ren.”

Ren flusters, whether at your compliment or usage of his first name, and slips off his apron. “Really? Ryuji made fun of it the first time he came over. Apparently sleeping on milk cartons isn’t cool enough for him.”

“Huh? I was showin’ concern for you, asshole!” Ryuji gives his friend a death glare, “Are you tryna show off to ‘sato, huh?” He leans over the bench, looking like he’s about to start swinging. The noirette just laughs, waving off Ryuji’s argument. 

Yusuke, who had been drinking his coffee in silence, speaks up in a thoughtful tone. “Milk cartons…? I had never noticed. I am glad I passed up even considering Leblanc as a place to stay, however.”  
“Dude, way to rub salt in the wound.” Ryuji snickers, quickly forgetting his anger, “If even Yusuke wouldn’t wanna stay here, there’s no way you’re pulling any chicks with that lumpy ass bed.” His laughter continues as he crushes the empty can in his hand, fiddling with the metal. 

Ren opens his mouth to defend himself, but Sojiro speaks up from the sink without even looking back. “I hope you’re doing anything...unsightly in my attic, kid.”

“Ooh, busted!” Ann whispers, setting down her empty cup, “You guys should head up before you get yourselves into even more trouble.” She gives them a flighty giggle as Ryuji perks up.

He gives both of you girls a sly grin, “Last one there's a rotten egg!” With that childish remark, he bolts away from the counter and up the wooden stairs off to the side. Ann stares blankly at him, before grinning and chasing after him. You’re not surprised she took his challenge, but you share a cautious look with Yusuke. 

“Thank you for the coffee, Sakura-san.” You give the older man a nod, watching quietly as Yusuke does the same, “Thank you for your hospitality. I’ll be heading up now.” With that, you and Yusuke slowly pad your way up Leblanc’s stairs. 

Ren watches silently from the counter as you disappear into the attic, hand stilling from where it had been wiping down the bench. There’s a weird ache in his chest at the thought of you being in his room, not the sort that he usually associates with you since it’s entirely unrelated to Arsene. It’s...a nice sort of ache, as if he’s queasy in a way that doesn’t make him sick. 

Similarly, Sojiro watches his charge in silence before giving an amused sigh. What an oblivious kid. “So, that’s the Arisato you’ve been going on and on about.” He chuckles when Ren whips his head around, looking embarrassed. “Don’t look at me like that. Just make sure you use-”

“Shut up!” The teenager whisper-shouts, hoping to god that you can’t hear the conversation from upstairs. Why did Sojiro have to embarrass him like this? 

“It’s nothing to be embarrassed about.” Sojiro states matter-of-factly, as if he isn’t relentlessly bullying Ren, “After all, when I was your age-”

Ren nearly sprints to the stairs, trying to ignore the heat in his face and the way Sojiro starts fucking cackling after him. Ugh, how is he going to face you after all that?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry that this took a hot minute! this chapter was already out on quotev for a bit but im. very lazy but here it finally is
> 
> i dont think ive mentioned it here yet (but if i have sorry) but im not super into persona currently. if u cant tell by my writing im really into tokusatsu/jdramas so my focus isnt on updating this. i'll try to get an update out at least once a month, but i cant really guarantee it. maybe when scramble en comes out i'll get back into persona lol
> 
> anyways thanks for reading as per usual!!! also sorry that i dont reply to comments, i usually find it hard to but i really do appreciate everyone who comments and leaves kudos!!


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